On the afternoon of March 16, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha shared this view when receiving Ms. Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of the WWF International.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and WWF CEO Ms. Kirsten Schuijt at the meeting at the Government Office (Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi)
At the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated the close cooperation and relationship between Viet Nam and WWF over the years with the desire to work with countries around the world to achieve the goal of nature conservation and biodiversity on Earth.
Expressing his filled with deep respect for Mrs. Kirsten Schuijt, an expert in the field of conservation and who has a long-term association with Viet Nam, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Viet Nam always accompanies WWF in the implementation of new ideas as well as new approaches that actualize the common goals of nature conservation in the current period.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said that, in response to the requirements of economic development and means of earning local people's living, hundreds of nature conservation areas are at risk of being injured or even disappearing. This actual situation requires a fast change in awareness and thinking of new approaches to nature conservation and biodiversity before it is too late.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, in order to effectively conserve areas of high biodiversity, creating a sustainable livelihood based on nature for local people is an extremely important condition.
Sharing the view of economic development in harmony with nature conservation, the Deputy Prime Minister said that there should be specific preparation steps, from planning, technical support, and policies, to human resource training, financial mechanism, etc with the aim of successfully implementing pilot models, then transfer and replicate.
“WWF can experiment with global initiatives and priorities on nature conservation and biodiversity in Vietnam that contribute to solving major "problems" in responding to climate change, and living safely with natural disasters... Since then, realized the initiative" conservation of nature for development, development for conservation of nature".
"Viet Nam has high expectations to receive advice and support in terms of knowledge, techniques, and experience towards the goal of replicating successful models in the world, piloting new ideas on the conservation of nature and biodiversity associated with sustainable economic development. The most important thing is to act and realise commitments to nature conservation and biodiversity," said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Expressing his gratitude to the Deputy Prime Minister for taking the time to welcome him, the WWF General Director shared her experience during her 20 years working at WWF, including a long time working in Viet Nam, especially the time implementing conservation projects in the central region which has contributed to her career orientation.
Ms. Kirsten Schuijt expressed her appreciation for the direction of the Government of Viet Nam in domestic and global conservation efforts. WWF has witnessed the proud achievements of Viet Nam such as commitments at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26); participation in the development of a global agreement on plastic pollution; implementation of the global biodiversity framework; participating in the Conference of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer…
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Ms. Kirsten Schuijt, and leaders of WWF and some ministries at the meeting (Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi)
Viet Nam has a leading role in domestic and global efforts on nature conservation. WWF hopes that in the coming time to have more opportunities to cooperate with Viet Nam and maintain the goal to promote the conservation of nature and biodiversity worldwide.
Ms. Kirsten Schuijt affirmed WWF always wishes to cooperate with Viet Nam and other countries to implement specific projects to implement the Montreal Protocol; giving priority to "nature-based" solutions in water resource management, forest protection, food production, consumption... In the coming time, WWF will implement a number of new projects on biodiversity conservation, forest protection, and climate change response in Viet Nam.
After the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, WWF CEO International and all delegates had a bilateral meeting with MONRE Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan. Participating in the meeting were MONRE agencies’ representatives from Department of International Cooperation, Department of Nature and Biodiversity Conservation. At the meeting, both leaders discussed follow-up activities as agreed at COP15 CBD in Montreal, Canada and cooperation plan to implement Viet Nam’s commitments, specifically the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, 30 x 30 Initiative, Global Biodiversity Framework, Net Zero target etc and Viet Nam’s environment related policy on plastic polution, biodiversity conservation, climate change response and so forth in the time to come.
Hoang Xuan Huy