Vietnam advocates effective use of Mekong water resources

(Bqp.vn) - Vietnam attaches special importance to the sustainable development and effective use of Mekong River water resources in the context of climate change.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. (photo: VNA)

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made this statement at the 7th Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Ministerial Meeting and the fourth Friends of the Lower Mekong (FLM) Ministerial Meeting, which took place in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on August 9 alongside the 47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-47).

Vietnam wishes to further co-ordinate with other Mekong countries and development partners with these efforts in mind, he stressed.

He also proposed strengthening co-operation and dialogue within the LMI and FLM frameworks, chiefly for socio-economic development, strengthening connectivity, narrowing the development gap between ASEAN members and enhancing the Mekong River Commission’s capacity in research and forecasting the impact of hydroelectric dams on the Mekong River’s main stream.

The 7th LMI foreign ministers’ meeting discussed the opportunities and challenges facing the sustainable development of the Mekong River Basin as well as proposed concrete co-operation measures to narrow the development gap and speed up regional economic integration towards a strong ASEAN community by 2015.

The ministers agreed that after five years of operation, LMI has become an effective co-operation mechanism between the US and Mekong countries in dealing with common development challenges through the six pillars of agriculture and food security, connectivity, education, energy security, environment and water resources, and health.

The meeting adopted a joint statement, which said in the next five years, the LMI co-operation will focus on implementing six major projects on connectivity, smart infrastructure, connectivity via education and training, training communication skills for leaders, start-up centres for women and infectious disease prevention.

Meanwhile, the 4th FLM foreign ministers’ meeting agreed to strengthen co-operation in regional connectivity, sustainable management of water resources and environmental protection in the Mekong River basin. The ministers affirmed a commitment to building partnerships at all levels to effectively cope with challenges in the region.

At the event, many development partners such as the European Union, Australia, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank pledged to continue supporting Mekong nations in managing their water resources sustainably and building smart infrastructure, clean energy and agriculture adaptive to climate change.

The EU decided to triple its aid for the regional nations in the 2014-2020 period.

The meeting agreed to organise a special FLM meeting at the deputy ministerial level on sustainable development in Laos in late 2014 or early 2015.

(Source: VNA)