The U.S. government has approved a three-year program to help downstream countries of the Mekong River including Vietnam adapt to climate change and manage natural water sources, with a pledge of $3 million for the first year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a conference in Hanoi July 22. She made the announcement at the 2nd U.S.-Lower Mekong Ministerial Meeting with counterparts from the four countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, the state-run Vietnam News Agency said July 23. The meeting, following the first held in Thailand on July 23, 2009, focused on the four main fields of environment protection, health, education and infrastructures. Hillary said the U.S. government is working out a plan on health assistance worth $14 million for the downstream Mekong countries this year. The foreign ministers have witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the cooperation between the Mekong River Commission and the Mississippi River Commission. Vietnam is listed among five hardest-hit countries by climate change. If sea level rises one meter, 5% of Vietnam’s land, 11% of its population and 7% of its agricultural land would be affected with the loss estimated at 10% of GDP.
