VUFO calls for resouces to respond to climate change in Mekong Delta

(VNF) - The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) in collaboration with the People’s Committee of An Giang, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Aid for social protection program foundation Vietnam (AFV) on November 28th held a conference on “Mobilizing resources to respond to climate change in the Mekong Delta’’.
November 28, 2017 | 15:07

(VNF) - The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) in collaboration with the People’s Committee of An Giang, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Aid for social protection program foundation Vietnam (AFV) on November 28th held a conference on “Mobilizing resources to respond to climate change in the Mekong Delta’’.

VUFO calls for resouces to respond to climate change in Mekong Delta

The conference on ''Mobilizing resources to respond to climate change in the Mekong Delta''

This is an activity under the framework of the project “Strengthening community capacity to respond to disasters in the Mekong Delta” implemented by AFV. The conference is co-sponsored by Bread for the World (BFTW) and AFV. The case study is conducted in August and September in three districts of Cho Moi (An Giang province), Ke Sach (Soc Trang provine) and Tra Vinh city (Tra Vinh province).

Attending the conference were Mr. Don Tuan Phong, Vice Chairman cum General Secretary of VUFO, Vice Chairman of Committee for Foreign NGO Affairs; Mr. Tran Ngoc Minh, Vice Chairman of National Assembly’s Committee for Science, Technology and Environment; Mr. Phan Anh Son, Head of the People's Aid Coordinating Committee, Director of the Institute for International Studies and People's External Relations of Vietnam; Mr. Pham Van Tan, Deputy Director of Climate Change Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Mr. Lam Quang Thi, Vice Chairman of People's Committee of An Giang province and Mr. Phan Huynh Son, Vice Chairman of An Giang Provincial People's Council.

The conference also witnessed the participation of nearly 200 representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and the Mekong River Commission, Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, the Union of Friendship Organizations in 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta, scientists and organizations in the country and internationally such as ActionAid, WWF and GIZ.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Don Tuan Phong, VUFO Vice Chairman, stressed that the climate change is seriously affecting many countries in the world, including Vietnam. In Vietnam, the Mekong Delta is one of the worst affected areas. This area is facing direct consequences of climate change such as river bank erosion, coastal erosion, mangrove degradation, subsidence, ecosystem change.

VUFO official also emphasized that on November 17, the Government issued Resolution 120 on Sustainable Development of Mekong Delta for Adaptation to Climate Change which referred to mobilizing resources to participate in this task.

VUFO calls for resouces to respond to climate change in Mekong Delta

VUFO Vice Chairman addresses the opening

According to Don Tuan Phong, mobilizing resources is one of the bottlenecks in implementing sustainable development strategies to cope with climate change. Thus, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations decided to coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, People's Committee of An Giang Province, AFV held a conference to share, exchange information and discuss issues related to climate change, contributing with the Government, local branches in the Mekong Delta area to find specific, effective solutions.

According to Lam Giang Thi, Vice Chairman of An Giang People's Committee, the conference is important to An Giang in particular and to the Mekong Delta region in general as the region is heavily impacted by climate change, sea ​​level rise, the construction of hydroelectric dams, the flow adjustment in neighboring countries.

At the meeting, delegates were presented on the impact of climate change on the Mekong Delta, challenges posed by development process and experience in mobilizing resources to respond to climate change.

It is expected on November 29th, delegates will have a field trip the model of adaption to climate change in Tri Ton district, An Giang province.

Phi Yen (Translated by Tran Ngoc)

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