The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is focusing on completing the draft of a national action plan on enhancing management, protection and water use in order to increase efficiency in managing and using water resources in the coming time.

In addition, the ministry also works hard to build an inter-water reservoir operation process for lakes in basins across the country, while continuing to research the impact of hydroelectricity projects on the main flow of the Mekong River .

The information was revealed at a press conference which was held in Hanoi on February 24 to announce the ministry’s upcoming activities and a national programme for the 2014 World Water Day.

According to Hoang Van Bay, Director of the Water Resources Management Department, a national meeting and an array of activities in response to the 2014 World Water Day will be held on March 21 in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau, one of the localities in the watershed between the Red River and Thai Binh River, the largest river basin in northern Vietnam.

Organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) in conjunction with the provincial People’s Committee, the programme includes a national meeting, a scientific conference titled "Water and Energy", a photo exhibition themed "Water - People - Life", an art performance called "River and Singing" and some other activities.

Themed “Water and Energy”, the 2014 World Water Day aims to raise awareness of the close relationship between these two basic elements, and calls on people to find management measures to be able to maintain economic growth and to meet human needs through sustainable exploitation of water resources and the efficient and economical use of energy towards a green economy./.