Awarding the insignia "For the cause of agriculture and rural development" to Dr. McGrath (Photo: phongchongthientai.mard.gov.vn)
“MARD leaders are touched by the affection and enthusiasm that Dr. Timothy Edward McGrath has devoted to sustainable development projects in Vietnam in general and the Mekong Delta in particular,” said Tran Quang Hoai, Head of the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority, adding that the expert is not only a senior expert but also a soul friend.
The above award is also a recognition of Dr. Timothy Edward McGrath for his contributions and dedication in the field of agriculture and rural development in Vietnam.
In 1993, Dr. McGrath first came to Vietnam to serve a research project related to agricultural policy. After returning to Australia for 4 years, he spent the next 25 years of his life working in Vietnam. He loves Vietnamese culture and speaks Vietnamese fluently. Currently, he is the Deputy Director of the project on adapting to climate change in the Mekong Delta.
Dr. Mcgrath has made many contributions to promote the development of Vietnam, especially for rural areas, from projects on poverty alleviation, to clean water, sanitation, flood control, and response to climate change, disaster prevention and waste management and treatment.
During the period of 2019-2021, he assisted in the development of Decree 50/2020 of the Government regulating the receipt, management and use of emergency international aid for disaster relief and recovery in Vietnam.
In addition, Dr. McGrath also supported the amendment of Decree 160/2018/ND-CP detailing the implementation of the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the draft Decree on establishing and managing funds for natural disaster prevention and control.
He is also a consultant for the Mekong Delta provinces in provincial planning under the Law on Planning. He has actively participated in providing technical assistance for the establishment of the Mekong Delta Coordinating Council, as well as promoting regional linkage activities.
Dr. McGrath also directly advises the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) to participate as a member of the disaster risk reduction partnership chaired by the MARD.
In addition, he has also chaired many delegations between Vietnam and Germany to exchange and learn from experience, organize bilateral meetings between leaders of the MARD and the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ) and leaders of the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
The results and achievements that the projects with the participation of Dr. Timothy Edward McGrath have achieved are not only meaningful in the short term, but also an important premise for strong development in the next period in the Mekong Delta.
He is respected by friends and colleagues for his tireless and enthusiastic dedication to his second homeland, Vietnam. In the days of struggling with a serious illness, he still had heartaches and a wish to send back a part of his ashes in the Mekong River.
Previously, in 2017, he was also awarded an insignia for the cause of Vietnam's Water Supply and Sewerage. In 2020, he was awarded the medal for the cause of construction by the Ministry of Construction./.