Conference discusses Mekong Delta sustainable development model

A conference on shaping the shift to a sustainable development model, adaptive to climate change, in the Mekong Delta officially opened in the Can Tho city on September 26.

Politburo Member, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue and Party Central Committee member and Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung co-chaired the conference.

The conference was also attended by leaders of the Party, National Assembly, State, ministries and central agencies, along with the leaders of 13 provinces in the Mekong River Delta and Ho Chi Minh City; as well as scientists, experts, scientists from both home and abroad.

Illustrative Image (Pho to: Thai Thien).

In his opening speech, Politburo Member, Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue said that the Mekong River Delta, with 13 provinces and centrally run cities, has a total area of 3.94 million hectares and a population of 17.5 million people (accounting for 12% of the natural area and 20% of the national population).

The Mekong Delta is one of the richest and most productive agricultural areas in Southeast Asia, contributing 54% of rice production, 70% of aquaculture, 36.5% of fruits, 90% of rice exports and 65% of the seafood exports of the whole country, the Deputy PM said, adding that many agricultural commodities of the Mekong Delta are present and favoured in many countries around the world.

However, major challenges facing the Mekong Delta remain such as climate change and natural disasters. The region now suffers from a scarcity of fresh water, saline intrusion, flooding and drought, he noted.

Deputy PM Hue called for stronger participation of the business circle and people in sustainable and climate-resilient development of the Mekong Delta.

Besides, attention should be paid to breakthrough reform policies and mechanisms to spur the transform and sustainable development of the delta, focusing on mechanisms on land, tax, market construction, trade promotion, science-technology and human resources development, he said.

The meeting will review the challenges faced by the Mekong Delta between now and 2100, particularly those related to the management of water resources, and opportunities for regional sustainable development.

Participants will contribute their ideas to the building of Mekong Delta socio-economic development plans, while discussing measures to shift to livelihoods and agricultural production models which are adaptive to climate change and projects on using cross border water resources.

The relevant parties will define resource coordinating mechanisms and seek foreign and private support for the effort in both resources and technology.

The plenary session and deep discussions, hosted by the ministers, will debate the possibility of foreign resources support for priority fields and consider issuing a joint statement on supporting the government’s efforts in shaping the shift to the Mekong Delta sustainable development model, adaptive to climate change.

At the plenary session on September 28, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc will listen to thematic reports and feedback by experts, scientists, foreign partners and entrepreneurs.

(Source: NDO)