Vietnam National Mekong Committee to strengthen organisation

Hanoi (VNA) – The standing office of Vietnam National Mekong Committee should focus on implementing a project on strengthening the organisation of the committee after the project receives the Prime Minister’s approval, according to Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh.

Giving directions on the operation of the committee in 2019 at a meeting in Hanoi on December 25, the Deputy Minister said the office needs to promote information exchange among the committee’s members and experience sharing with international partners in the management of water resources.

He also urged the office to keep a close watch of activities of countries in the Mekong River basin such as Laos and Cambodia.

Representatives from other agencies under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment proposed that the committee continue to closely monitor the exploitation and use of water resources and other resources in the Mekong River basin while promoting international cooperation.

They also recommended enhancing negotiation capacity for the committee’s staff who directly involves in the Mekong River cooperation activities so as to protect national interests.

Chief of the office Le Duc Trung reported that in 2018, the office coordinated with the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to organise successfully the 25th meeting of the MRC Council and the 23rd meeting with the MRC’s development partners.

The office also fulfilled its leading role in bilateral and multilateral cooperation initiatives including the Mekong – Lancang cooperation on water resources, training and experience sharing activities, the Mekong-US downstream cooperation and Mekong-Japan cooperation initiatives, he noted.-VNA