The United States Mission to Vietnam, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), on March 15 joined leaders from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Mekong provinces to launch the Mekong Delta Coastal Habitat Conservation project.
USAID/Vietnam Mission Director delivers remarks at the event. (Photo: USAID/Vietnam)
The US$2.9 million project will work to reduce threats to coastal biodiversity and fisheries and strengthen coastal resilience in the Mekong Delta, in partnership with the Government of Vietnam, including provincial authorities; businesses; management boards of marine protected areas; development partners; and fishing communities.
“This project launch advances our shared priority with Vietnam to build coastal resilience in the vital yet increasingly vulnerable Mekong Delta region, and supports the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” said Aler Grubbs, USAID/Vietnam Mission Director, during remarks delivered at today’s event.
The Mekong Delta and its islands are home to 70% of Vietnam’s mangroves and 90% of its seagrass beds. Fed by the sediment and nutrients from the Mekong River, these habitats support Vietnam’s richest fishing grounds and provide crucial protection for coastal communities from storm surges.
However, these habitats and the commercially important species they support, such as sea bass and snapper, are facing a range of threats that impact long-standing livelihoods and lifestyles.
Through this new project, the United States will support Vietnam’s restoration of coastal biodiversity and the sustainable management of marine resources to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities and enhance coastal resilience.
The launch on March 15 advances the US commitment to expand engagement in the Mekong Delta and across Vietnam, in line with our two countries’ shared priorities under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
