USAID, KOICA seal first MoU in Vietnam for environment protection

At the event (Photo: baochinhphu.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) – The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed their first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Vietnam, on cooperation to reduce pollution, mitigate climate change in the Mekong Delta, and accelerate the transition to clean energy in the Southeast Asian nation.

USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock and KOICA Country Director Cho Han Deog inked the pact.

Per the MoU, the two agencies will pursue shared development goals including, but not limited to reducing plastic and other types of pollution and improving solid waste management; enhancing biodiversity; mitigating emissions from the agricultural sector; increasing adaptation strategies of vulnerable populations in the Mekong Delta; and accelerating renewable energy development and deployment at the central and urban levels.

USAID has a number of initiatives focusing on combating climate change and strengthening environmental security and protection in Vietnam. It currently implements 11 environment and energy projects in the country, with a total combined value exceeding 160 million USD.

Meanwhile, KOICA’s particular attention in Vietnam is paid to waste-to-energy, marine plastic pollution, pollution monitoring, and forest conservation and its sustainable management. The agency is trying to solve these problems through cooperation with various partners including academia, startups and private businesses where possible./.

VNA