VN urged to appoint permanent WMO rep

Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng (r) receives Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Petteri Taalas in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

At a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng in Hà Nội yesterday, Taalas said Việt Nam could play an important role in improving global capacity for warning and responding to climate change. 

Considering the devastating losses caused by natural disasters in Việt Nam over the past years, the WMO Secretary General stressed that to effectively cope with natural disasters, Việt Nam needed trust-worthy early warning capacity and modern technologies. 

He suggested Việt Nam continue to prioritise human resources for the hydro meteorological sector, and pour more investments in mobile and modern observatories. 
The WMO stands ready to help the country mobilise resources in this field, he said, suggesting the country soon complete a legal framework to mobilise more social resources. 

At the meeting, Dũng called for more assistance from the WMO to Việt Nam in developing human resources and improving the country’s hydro meteorological forecasting and monitoring capacity. 

The Deputy PM also asked the organisation to help Việt Nam access the global database and modern forecasting technologies, and improve its capacity to provide climate services, while supporting the country in international co-operation in hydro meteorology, climate change and other relevant spheres. 

Việt Nam is one of the countries hardest hit by natural disasters, climate change and sea level rise, he said, adding that the country is always ready to fully implement international commitments to preventing and mitigating risks caused by natural disasters. 

Việt Nam had prepared to become a flashflood warning guidance centre of Southeast Asia and actively participated in international cooperation and activities of the organisation, he said. — VNS