On March 14, the first meeting of the Mekong River Commission in Vietnam took place in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province. The conference was attended by representatives from 17 cities and provinces in the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha, Chairman of the Mekong River Commission emphasized that: Currently, the Mekong River Commission has been expanded to 5 more provinces in the Central Highlands. In the context of climate change, the flow of the rivers decrease in dry season and fluctuate in flood season, causing serious impacts on social life and economic development in localities. Therefore, Viet Nam is responsible for consulting with big countries in the upper Mekong basin on major policies and legal issues, drastically implementing urgent local tasks and projects related to the region, especially the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands.
According to the Vietnam Mekong River Commission, 2018 is forecasted to continue experiencing fluctuations in hydro-meteorology in the Mekong River basin. Climate change together with extreme weather phenomena will continue to be a challenge for the socio-economic development of the cities and provinces of the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands.
In the context of increased development activities in the upstream of the Mekong River, which has had a detrimental impact on Vietnam, the Mekong River Commission needs to revise its mission; strengthen the organization;implement a detailed impact study of hydropower development in the Mekong mainstream; develop response measures; take initiative in proposing the undertakings and policies of Vietnam.
These specific proposals, recommendations and responses will be submitted to the Government to prepare for the third Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit, which is to be held in April 1818 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The Mekong River Delta is located in the Mekong River Delta with an area of nearly 4 million hectares, accounting for 12% of the national area and 5% of the Mekong River Basin. The Mekong Delta has an important place in the socio-economic development and is a key area in the national food security strategy, contributing 50% of food production, nearly 70% of seafood export, 90% of rice export of the country.
The Sesan and Srepok rivers in the Central Highlands are the two main tributaries of the left bank of the Mekong. The basins of these two rivers are located in the area of 5 Central Highlands provinces and have abundant water resources combined with sloping terrain, which is considered as an advantage for hydropower development, irrigation, industrial water supply, economic growth, improvement of people’s lives.