THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi highly values and welcomes the support and experience-sharing from international partners through practical cooperation programs, especially German localities, among which Berlin’s Lichtenberg District stands out, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen has said.

At a meeting with Martin Schaefer, Mayor of Berlin’s Lichtenberg District, on October 22, Quyen said that cooperation between Lichtenberg and Hanoi’s local units has been effective, based on the strong partnership between Vietnam and Germany and between their capitals, Hanoi and Berlin.

Since July 1, Hanoi has operated under a two-tier local government model. The former Hoan Kiem District, which has partnered with Lichtenberg since 2015, has been reorganized into Cua Nam and Hoan Kiem wards.

Hoan Kiem Ward continues as the contact point for cooperation and exchanges with Lichtenberg, while the city hopes to expand collaboration between the German district and Cua Nam Ward, according to Vice Chairman Quyen.

Based on this relationship with Berlin and Lichtenberg District, he expected that Hanoi will receive further support from German partners to deal with multiple challenges on its path toward rapid urbanization.

The problems include pollution in rivers and lakes, a growing number of fossil-fuel vehicles and insufficient infrastructure to handle flooding during heavy rains, he said.

Hanoi aims to strengthen urban management, improve living standards and public amenities and preserve the city’s traditional, cultured and civilized identity, Quyen said.

“We plan to establish low-emission zones, operate a fully electric bus system by 2030 and introduce policies encouraging residents to switch to electric vehicles,” he said.

“Our other priorities include expanding green spaces and improving wastewater treatment facilities,” Quyen added. “These are key goals for Hanoi in the 2025–2030 period.”

The vice chairman emphasized that urban transportation remains a major focus of Hanoi’s cooperation with international partners, including Germany and particularly Lichtenberg District.

For his part, Lichtenberg Mayor Martin Schaefer praised Vietnam’s and Hanoi’s achievements in socio-economic development and administrative reform.

He noted that Hanoi and Berlin share common priorities, including environmental protection, transportation and housing.

“Berlin is also undergoing administrative restructuring to better define the roles and responsibilities of the capital and its 12 districts,” he said.

During the visit, Mayor Schaefer met with representatives from Hoan Kiem Ward to discuss stronger cooperation in culture, heritage preservation, environmental improvement, education and tourism.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the 2022–2025 cooperation agreement, he added.

Mayor Schaefer expressed hope that Hanoi would continue to support exchanges and partnerships to strengthen local cooperation between the two capitals.

The German official expected this visit to lay a solid foundation for closer ties between Lichtenberg District and the wards of Cua Nam and Hoan Kiem.

The visit of Lichtenberg District’s Mayor Martin Schaefer and the German delegation coincided with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany and the 10th anniversary of the friendship cooperation between Hoan Kiem Ward and Lichtenberg District.

Lichtenberg, one of Berlin’s largest districts, has the biggest Vietnamese community in Germany. The former Hoan Kiem District and Lichtenberg established their partnership in 2015.

Under the 2015 cooperation agreement, the two localities agreed to strengthen ties in investment and trade promotion, vocational training, environmental protection, transport infrastructure, healthcare, tourism and entrepreneurship. On December 14, 2022, they signed a cooperation agreement for the 2022–2026 period.

Following recent administrative restructuring, Hanoi now has 126 wards and communes covering more than 3,400 square kilometers, with a population of around 10 million. The city’s GRDP is expected to grow by 8.5% in 2025, with an average annual growth target of 11% for 2026–2030.