Vietnam expressed its wish that the Partnership in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), an international organisation, will assist the sustainable development of its coastal regions, at a seminar in Hanoi on Dec. 5.

At the seminar on consultation to expand the management of coastal regions in Vietnam for the 2011-2020 period, it was announced that between 10 and 14 coastal provinces in Vietnam will be partially financed for sustainable development.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Chu Pham Ngoc Hien said the Vietnam Sea and Islands General Department has worked with localities to implement the five-year plan on coastal region management in selected localities.

Representative from PEMSEA Nancy Bermas said the implementation of the East Asia marine sustainable development strategy requires good management and utilisation of water supplies, pollution reduction and waste management, along with coastal region and urban development and biodiversity preservation.

Vice Director of the Sea and Island Exploitation Management Department Hoang Duy Dong said almost 50 percent of big cities in Vietnam are in coastal regions and 23 percent of the population living in coastal areas have been affected by climate change and rising sea levels.

Since 2003, PEMSEA has assisted seven coastal provinces in Vietnam, namely, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Soc Trang and Kien Giang in poverty reduction for coastal communities, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable fishing management./.