Ho Chi Minh City strengthens urban governance and housing ties with Germany

Ho Chi Minh City is strengthening its ties with German institutions to address urban management, sustainable development, and anti-corruption efforts.

At the 12th International Conference on Sustainable Urban Development (ICSUD 2026), organized by the Vietnamese-German University and Darmstadt University of Technology, experts discussed housing policies and urban planning. A key challenge identified is providing affordable housing in rapidly urbanizing areas. While Ho Chi Minh City met 98% of its social housing targets for 2021-2025, the city faces a significant upcoming demand, aiming to develop over 181,000 social housing units between 2026 and 2030.

Simultaneously, a Ho Chi Minh City delegation led by Le Quoc Phong visited Germany to exchange expertise in urban governance and anti-corruption. In Berlin, officials met with the Anti-Corruption Center of the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office to discuss preventive mechanisms, conflict of interest controls, and building a culture of integrity in the public sector. The mission also included discussions in Leipzig regarding urban management and innovation.