The Netherlands will help build planning on water resources in Vietnam after the two sides inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the 2020-2030 period and vision towards 2050. Signed during the visit given to The Hague by Vietnamese Deputy Minister Hoang Trung Hai on Sept 22-24, the MoU for the planning of Red River-Thai Binh River basin is aimed to help Vietnam improve its capacity in managing water reservoirs in the region. During the working sessions, the Netherlands said they would help the Southeast Asian country focus on sustainable urban management and water storage in the Mekong delta. Vietnam is facing shortage of water resources as up to 63% of the country’s total water volume sourced outside the country. In the Red River basin, foreign-sourced water accounts for 50%. The country’s water resources have dropped rapidly due to climate change, overuse, waste, and pollution while the demand for water is between 130 and 150 billion cubic meters per year. (Tuoitrenews.vn Sept 26)
