The 5th East Asian Seas Congress will take place in Da Nang from November 16-21 (Source: Monre.gov.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam will host for the first time the 5th East Asian Seas Congress themed “Global targets, local benefits – Setting the sustainable development agenda for the seas of East Asia beyond 2015” in the central city of Da Nang from November 16-21.
Co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), the event is expected to draw the attendance of 700 delegates from both at home and abroad.
Speaking at a press briefing in Hanoi on November 11, MoNRE Vice Minister Chu Pham Ngoc Hien said the congress is an important international event in regards to sea and island issues.
The hosting of the event aims to affirm Vietnam’s position, role and contributions to peace, friendship and development in the East Asian seas in particular and on the international arena in general, he added.
Within the framework of the congress, a series of seminars, forums and roundtable talks will be held, serving as platforms for scientists and managers to share experience, initiatives and achievements in the management and sustainable development of natural resources and maritime environment protection, especially in the East Asian seas.
The congress and related events are also be seen as chances for organisations and concerned parties in the region to define the key targets, schedule and opportunities for cooperation, thereby setting the sustainable development agenda for the seas of East Asia beyond 2015.
As an international cooperation mechanism, PEMSEA was established in 1994 on the basis of agreement between parties regarding the East Asian seas, including 12 countries, private sectors, research and education institutes, international and financial organisations, and donors. PEMSEA is also a regional coordination mechanism to implement the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA).
The nations involved in PEMSEA comprise Cambodia, China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Timor Leste, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
