Experts from Holland, Germany and Australia shared their countries’ expertise and experience on sustainable environment management in coastal areas with a view to applying for the Mekong Delta region at a dialogue held in Can Tho City on November 4. The event was co-organized by the Steering Committee for the Southwest Region and the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Integrated Coastal Management Program (ICMP), as part of activities in the framework of the Mekong Delta Economic Development (MDEC) Forum now underway in Soc Trang. Among 13 Mekong Delta provinces, seven are located along the coastline. In recent years, coastal areas are facing serious environmental challenges, particularly the shrinking of mangrove forests, salt water intrusion and waste discharge from aquaculture. Domestic and foreign experts analyzed the current environmental conditions in the Mekong Delta’s coastal areas and explained the approaches to the issue adopted by other countries. They proposed solutions to the existing problems in managing coastal areas in Vietnam and how to efficiently learn from international experiences in this field. Participants were also polled about an inter-province mechanism to carry out an integrated protection program for coastal areas and mangrove ecology in the Mekong Delta. The dialogue outlined a coordination mechanism between Mekong Delta localities, the Southwestern Steering Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the GIZ to facilitate cooperation projects in the time ahead. (Vietnam News Nov 5)
