HCM City (VNA) – Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc has signed a resolution to sustainably develop the Mekong Delta aspart of efforts to cope with climate change.

The resolution points out that the Mekong Deltaaccounts for 12 percent of the national area and 19 percent of population,contributes 50 percent of the rice crop, 65 percent of aquaculture, 70 percentof fruit, 95 percent of exported rice and 60 percent of exported fish.

In the context of globalisation and internationalintegration, the Mekong Delta has a great opportunity for development but alsofaces a great challenge because it is vulnerable to natural changes.

The resolution sets a vision by 2100, the MekongDelta will sustainably, safely and prosperously develop on the foundation ofhigh-quality agriculture in combination with services, ecological tourism, andindustry, especially processing industry, which will help to increase the valueand competitiveness of agricultural products.

The infrastructure system of the delta will becarefully planned.

To reach the goal, by 2050, the Mekong Delta willbecome a region which has moderately good development and a modern socialorganisation level. At that time, income per capita of the delta will be higherthan the national average; the proportion of ecological agriculture andhigh-quality applied agriculture will reach 80 percent.

“It is very important to create sustainable andprosperous development for the Mekong Delta on the foundation of activelyadapting, mobilising its strength and potential, transforming challenges intoopportunities for development, ensuring prosperity for local residents as wellas preserving traditional and special cultural values, paying attention toland, water protection, and especially local people,” the resolution says.

The resolution also provides numerous comprehensivesolutions, such as establishing ecological sub-regions for agriculture aseconomic development and infrastructure construction, and setting up a masterplan for sustainable development in the Mekong Delta while adapting to climatechange.

In the new master plan, the resolution notes thatthe definition of “living with floods” should be expanded as “living withfloods, brackish and sea water.”

In particular, breakthrough mechanisms and policiesshould be implemented to attract non-budget capital, especially money from theprivate sector and the most favourable business environment should be createdto encourage the private sector.

Encouraging mechanisms for resource mobilisation andindividual enterprises investing into infrastructure and tourism, includingcapital lending, bond issuance and public-private-partnership investment, shouldbe issued.

Inter-regional, inter-provincial and multiple targetprojects should get priority in providing loans.

The resolution instructs the Ministry of ForeignAffairs to promote the Mekong River exploitation co-operation, to ensuresustainable and fair usage of the river resources, especially for waterresource among six Mekong river basin countries.

The ministry will persuade countries andinternational organisations which are Mekong river development partners toincrease their support for activities of the Mekong River Commission, and willconvince upper countries, which are not members of the commission, to joinsoon.

Particularly, the resolution instructs the Ho Chi MinhCity People’s Committee to build a co-operation programme with the Mekong Deltaprovinces in order to promote connectivity among the Mekong Delta, HCM City andSoutheast region.

The resolution asks the National Assembly toconsider, adjust, add and arrange the State budget to implement missions,projects and programmes which are mentioned in the resolution. - VNA