At the working session between the Mekong Delta province of An Giang and a delegation led by WB Country Director in Vietnam Carolyn Turk and Ambassador of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam Robyn Mudie. (Photo: VNA) An Giang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of An Giang has askedthe World Bank (WB) and the Australian government to help build reservoirs incombination with irrigation infrastructure to serve production in the LongXuyen quadrilateral sub-region.
The large-scale reservoirs are critical to the sub-region as they supply freshwater for local residents in the dry season and regulate water resources for agriculturalproduction, Chairman of the An Giang provincial People’s Committee Nguyen ThanhBinh told a working delegation led by WB Country Director in Vietnam Carolyn Turk andAmbassador of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam Robyn Mudie on December 1.
Binh proposed the WB and the Australian government help deal with land subsidenceand river bank landslide and erosion, with priority on the relocation ofhouseholds in areas vulnerable to erosion to safer places.
At the working session, Ambassador Mudie said the Australian government hasprovided the Mekong Delta region with 650 million USD to carry out sustainableeconomic development projects, including the Cao Lanh bridge in Dong Thapprovince as the largest project in ASEAN built with funds from the Australiangovernment, thus promoting the socio-economic development of the region.
Mudie affirmed the Australian government, through the WB, will continue helpingMekong delta provinces, including An Giang, carry out water resource managementand sustainable agricultural development projects.
WB Country Director in Vietnam Turk also affirmed the WB’s support for MekongDelta localities to cope with climate change, especially the matters relating cleanwater and river bank erosion.
Thanks to assistance from the Australian government and WB, An Giang hasimplemented programmes and projects, contributing to local socio-economicdevelopment and poverty reduction efforts.
An Giang is located in the Mekong Delta’s key economic area, and the country’s keyagricultural producer, with main products like rice, tra fish and fruits.
The province has been affected by climate change in recent years such as prolongeddrought in the dry season, heavy rain in the rainy season, especially river andcanal bank landslide and erosion./.
VNA
