Vietnam PM OKs Germany-funded Biodiversity Preservation Project

The Vietnamese Prime Minister has approved a project for biodiversity preservation in the forest ecosystems funded by the German government through the German Organization for Technical Cooperation (GTZ). The project comprises EUR3 million from the German side and EUR300,000 of the Vietnamese government’s reciprocal capital, the government said on its website Oct 4. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was assigned to carry out the project in Pu Luong and Pu Hu natural reserves, Bach Ma national park, Na Hang natural reserve and Ba Be national park, aiming to enhance capability in persevering biodiversity and protecting forest ecosystems. The project is slated for completion in Aug 2013, the government added. Vietnam has high biological diversity with 58 natural reserves and eight UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves. At the Consultative Group Meeting held in Hanoi end-2009, Germany pledged EUR137 million in aid for Vietnam in 2010, accounting for 12.7% of EU’s total aid for the Southeast Asian nation this year. (baodientu.chinh.phu.vn Oct 4)