Webinar shares experience in auditing water resources management in Mekong River basin
The State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) chaired a webinar on November 30 to share experience in cooperative auditing on water resources management in the Mekong River basin.
Deputy Auditor General of Vietnam Doan Anh Tho (L) speaks at the webinar. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – TheState Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) chaired a webinar on November 30 to shareexperience in cooperative auditing on water resources managementin the Mekong River basin.
The event was attended byofficials from the supreme audit institutions (SAIs) of Thailand, Myanmar,India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Mongolia, Bhutan, Pakistan, Japan, and Oman.
Opening the seminar, DeputyAuditor General of Vietnam Doan Anh Tho said in 2018, the 14th Assemblyof the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) adopted theHanoi Declaration on “Environmental Audit for Sustainable Development”, whichcovers promoting knowledge sharing in the ASOSAI community, developing environmentalauditing capacity of member SAIs, realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),and dealing with global environmental challenges.
The Hanoi Declaration hasbecome an important document on ASOSAI’s strategic vision for the next periodof implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he noted.
To achieve the targets set inthis declaration, the SAV coordinated with the SAIs of Myanmar and Thailand,with support from the SAIs of Malaysia and Indonesia, to conduct the cooperativeenvironmental audit on water resources management in the Mekong River basin. Despiteimpacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the audit has come to fruition.
Results show that thegovernments of Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand have paid attention to and madeefforts to manage water resources of the Mekong River in tandem with theimplementation of the SDGs.
However, the audit also pointedout the degradation of the river’s water resources, as well as the negativeimpacts on the ecology, livelihoods, and life of people in the three countries.
Via the audit, the three SAIsissued warnings about the risks and consequences of water resources degradationin the Mekong River. They also proposed many useful and feasible solutions to thegovernments and relevant agencies of their respective countries.
At the webinar, participantslooked into issues of common concerns such as the application of remote sensingtechnology to audits, communications about audit results, the settlement oftrans-boundary issues related to water resources in the Mekong River basin, andfunding for the settlement of outstanding problems pointed out by the audit./.
The State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV), as Chair of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) over the last three years, has played a leadership role in successfully realising ASOSAI Strategic Plan and, particularly, Hanoi Declaration on “Environmental Auditing for Sustainable Development.”
The Chairman of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) for 2021 - 2024 said the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the future of public sector auditing, leading to new reforms amid challenges of the next normal.
After three years of implementing the Hanoi Declaration adopted by the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI), the document has proved effective in both stepping up the implementation of sustainable development goals (SGDs) and tackling global environmental challenges.
Vietnam shared its experience at the 8th ASOSAI Symposium, held via teleconference on September 8, with the theme "The ASOSAI and the Next Normal: Resilience amidst Challenges”.
As Chair of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI), the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) played a leadership role in together with the ASOSAI Governing Board guiding SAI members to successfully realise key agendas over the last three years.
As of June 17, Ca Mau province had achieved its target of supporting the construction and renovation of 4,400 homes, with a total budget of over 235 billion VND (about 9 million USD).
Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) Le Quoc Minh has called for technology to be leveraged not to replace identity, but to enhance it—allowing Vietnamese journalism to reach both local and global audiences.
In recent years, with strong support from the Party and State, and building on its tradition as a heroic news agency, the VNA has not only actively participated in OANA but also proactively proposed various ideas for cooperation, helping shape a fresh image of effective media collaboration in the digital era, said VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang.
The education sector has been one of the foundations playing a vital role in deepening Vietnam – New Zealand ties, said Prof. Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
Tien Giang province has addressed the housing needs of 608 poor, near-poor, and policy-beneficiary families facing housing difficulties. Of these, 370 houses were newly constructed while 238 underwent major renovations.
Dr Pham Minh Hung from the University of Economics and Business under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said the fixed-term contract mechanism is a correct step, liberating the entire system from traditional constraints which have long stood in the way of innovation.
The partnership will focus on studying and recommending LRT routes that connect the city’s transport network with urban development zones, industrial parks, and TOD areas. The research will cover Thu Dau Mot city and surrounding areas, with completion scheduled before August 15, 2025.
Media must not only serve as a channel for information but also act as a vanguard in shaping public opinion, combating misinformation, upholding the Party’s ideological principles, and reinforcing unity between Vietnam and Laos.
In Vietnam, the voluntary blood donation movement was first launched on January 24, 1994. In 2008, the Prime Minister established the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation.
Currently, 20 Vietnamese citizens remain in Iran, including embassy staff and personnel. All are safe, mentally stable, and in regular contact with the embassy.
A VietnamPlus survey of 764 young people shows that 83.9% of Gen Z use smartphones to read news, only 12% use computers, and the rest access content via tablets.
GVB Startup 2025 attracted the participation of nearly 150 individuals and organisations from across Vietnam. The event seeks to promote bold and ambitious startup ideas and projects, contributing to the future of global innovation, and supporting startups through the provision of resources, networking opportunities, and market insights.
AI could not replace human judgment in verifying information and sensitive political events, and that humans remain the final gatekeepers of content, said Leonid Kovachich, head of the Asian department at Sputnik's international broadcasting division.
A veteran journalist of Argentina has praised the modern evolution of Vietnam’s press, which now serves a dual purpose: introducing Vietnam to the world while bringing global perspectives to domestic audiences.
The court announced that Quyet had submitted a written request to be tried in absentia, citing serious health issues. According to an official statement from Hospital 19/8, the defendant is suffering from multiple illnesses, experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath, with doctors warning of a “very high risk of death.”
A senior Party official highlighted the VNA’s consistent role over the past eight decades, noting that it remains a mainstream, uninterrupted, timely, accurate, and authoritative source of news that helps shape public opinion, strengthen public trust, and safeguard the ideological foundation of the Party.
Dr. Kobelev, born in 1938 in Ulyanovsk, was among the first Soviet scholars to specialise in Vietnam. As a former TASS correspondent during the war in Vietnam, he worked closely with Vietnamese institutions and later helped found Russia’s Centre for Vietnamese and ASEAN Studies.
Deputy Auditor General of Vietnam Doan Anh Tho (L) speaks at the webinar. (Photo: VNA) 
