Vietnam always attaches significant importance to intensifying its engagement in global efforts to manage water resources alongside sustainable development, stated Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh during an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) conference held in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre on June 4.

It was the second time Vietnam has hosted such conference with the aim of discussing measures to bolster coordination in water resources management and develop the ASEM Post-2015 Development Agenda on the issue.

The session was attended by 180 delegates from 53 ASEM members and regional and international organisations, including the Mekong River Commission, the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, and the World Bank.

The 10th ASEM Summit in 2014 adopted an initiative of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung that suggested strengthening trans-regional coordination to address challenges of water resources management across the Mekong River, given the fact that some countries intended to build dams on the river.

Addressing the conference, Deputy PM Minh, who is also the Foreign Minister, stated that the way one country uses water can not only determine its future but also affect the entire region.

He pointed to the fact that 750 million people in the world have yet to access clean water and that the risk of groundwater running out is increasing in major regional cities such as Bangkok, Vientiane and Ho Chi Minh City.

Meanwhile, Ben Tre Province in the downstream of Mekong River is affected by increasing intrusion of saltwater.

Minh went on to declare that international cooperation will contribute substantially to the results of the 2011-2020 national strategy on sustainable development and a similar plan on water resources through to 2020 in Vietnam.

He also suggested that participants’ discussions should revolve around trans-sector collaboration and comprehensive approach in managing water resources, management experience exchanges and the establishment of a network connecting relevant centres and research institutes.

The Deputy PM illustrated his points by giving an example of a cooperation project between Ben Tre and Romania’s Tulcea province. He also urged an ASEM institute of water resources research and development located in Hunan province, China to promote its role of facilitating information exchange.

The function runs until June 5.-VNA