Workshop seeks measures to ensure water resources security

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – A workshop on river basin planning, water scarcity management and prevention of water resources imbalance was held in Hanoi on November 3. 

Ngo Manh Ha, Deputy Director of the Department of Water Resources Management under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the Australian Government has provided support for Vietnam in many areas which Australia is strong in.

Integrated water resources management, water scarcity management, and building a water security framework towards improving water security for Vietnam are among the priority areas of cooperation between Vietnam and Australia under the direction of the Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The workshop offered a good chance for the two sides to share experience and knowledge related to water management, water resources allocation, and integrated planning of water resources; and discussed next cooperation orientations. 

Greg Holland, an expert from RMCG consulting group of Australia, said that Vietnam is developing and piloting an assessment framework in accordance with the current circular on minimum flow requirements and the draft framework for Vietnam linked to river basin planning. 

Dr. Nguyen Van Manh from the Institute of Water Resources Planning under the MARD, proposed speeding up projects on water sources monitoring; clarifying the process of transferring the right to exploit and use water; applying the planning of water distribution in irrigation works.

Delegates focused their discussions on Australia's approach to water resources sharing in case of water scarcity which can be used to establish river basin rules in Vietnam; the development of pilot schemes in water resources distribution, water resources reserves of river basins in Vietnam./.