Tien Giang (VNA) – TheVietnam Mekong River Commission (VMRC) held the first plenary meeting in 2019in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang on June 19 under the chair of thecommission’s chairman Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran HongHa.

The meeting was held to announcethe consultation results regarding Laos’ Pak Lay hydropower project on theMekong’s mainstream and the development of hydro power upstream the river.

The functions and priority tasksfor the VMRC after the commission’s upgrade were also tabled for discussion.

Opening the meeting, MinisterHong Ha said the Government’s Resolution 120/NQ-CP on climate resilient andsustainable development of the Mekong Delta region has created a strong shiftin the way of thinking on the way forward for the region in the context ofclimate change and impacts of economic growth. However, negative effects on andvulnerability of the Mekong Delta are yet to be addressed.

Therefore, it is necessary toestablish the position, functions and tasks of the VMRC, which should include relatedactivities such as diplomatic ties with upstream nations, consultations onappropriate use of water through hydro power technical solutions on the Mekong’smainstream, and information update in order to propose comprehensive solutionsfor arising issues, the minister said.

In addition to a report of theVMRC’s standing office on the consultation outcomes regarding the Pak Layproject, reports on the implementation of the tasks assigned to the commissionin Resolution 120/NQ-CP and the situation of water use and diversion inThailand.

An important task of the VMRC underResolution 120/NQ-CP is to assess and propose measures for the effectiveimplementation of the Mekong Agreement, upholding Vietnam’s role in the MekongRiver Commission and increasing cooperation in the management and exploitationof water resources in the Mekong.

Minister Hong Ha requested thatthe VMRC’s plenary meeting give priority to reaching consensus on a plan andspecific measures to successfully complete the VMRC’s working programme in2019.

Chairman of the People’sCommittee of Tien Giang province told the meeting that as one of the downstreamlocalities, Tien Giang has been facing many challenges and negative impacts ofclimate change and increased use of water resources by upstream nations.

He reported that the provincehas issued Plan 96/KH-UBND on March 28 this year on implementing the Government’sResolution 120/NQ-CP. Under the plan, Tien Giang will intensify communicationcampaigns on climate resilient and sustainable development of the Mekong Delta followingthe guidance of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, complete basicsurveys on natural resources and the environment, and step by step draw maps onthe risks of flooding and saltwater intrusion at communal level based onvarious scenarios on sea level rise with a view to draft suitable measures foradaptation and response.-VNA