The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the ASEAN Secretariat will co-chair the 12th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resource Management.

According to the Department of International Cooperation and Science, Technology under the General Department of Environment, the meeting is scheduled to take place from July 25-27 in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

The event aims to review the ASEAN nations’ implementation of water resources management over the recent time, as well as map out directions in its operation in the future.

The conference’s two co-chairmen are Chua Soon Guan, ASEAN Chairman for Water Resources Management and Bui Cach Tuyen, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

The meeting will also welcome the attendance of representatives from ASEAN member countries, ASEAN Secretariat, Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s relevant agencies, and leaders of Quang Ninh People’s Committee.

ASEAN approved its Strategic Plan of Action on Water Resources Management in 2005. The plan is the region’s active and proactive response to challenges in water resources, in order to support member countries in water resource management.

The meeting this year will also focus on the crucial content, ‘Revising the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on Water Resources Management’ with some important activities such as designing a management system of water data, assessing risks and impacts from extreme climatic events in ASEAN countries, and raising public awareness on water resources management.

The meeting will also discuss the region’s in-focus water related events including the 2012 Singapore International Water Week, 2012 Clean Environment Summit Singapore, and the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit.-VNA