Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung delivered a speech at the plenary sessionof the 2 nd Mekong River Commission Summit in Ho Chi Minh City onApril 5, stressing the importance of water, energy and food security inthe context of climate change for the Mekong River basin. Following isthe full text of his speech.
“Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen of the Kingdom of Cambodia,
Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong of the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos,
Heads of Delegations of the Kingdom of Thailand , the People’sRepublic of China, and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government and people of Viet Nam , I warmlywelcome leaders and representatives of the Member Countries, DialoguePartners, Development Partners and international organizations to theSecond Mekong River Commission Summit.
Our Meeting is of greatsignificance to the Member Countries and to the Mekong cooperationprocess, as we will jointly review the implementation of the 2010 HuaHin Declaration, deliberate on opportunities and challenges, and chartout the way forward for the Mekong River Commission (MRC) for the periodof 2016 - 2020. We are commemorating the 20th anniversary of theAgreement on Mekong Cooperation and the establishment of the MekongRiver Commission next year, and this gives our forum today addedmeanings. Under the theme “Water, Energy and Food Security in thecontext of climate change for the Mekong River Basin ”, our Summitrepresents part of the international community’s joint efforts topromote water, energy and food security, particularly as we arecelebrating the 2014 World Water Day - Water and Energy.
Iapplaud the Secretariat for its excellent job in helping ensure thesuccess of the International Conference under the theme "Cooperation forWater, Energy and Food Security in trans-boundary Basins under changingclimate". Over 300 participants with a number of proposals andinitiatives floated out indicated the significant interest of theinternational community as well as the great potential for cooperationin sustainable use and development of trans-boundary rivers, includingthe Mekong River.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Neverbefore has the Mekong River Basin been confronted with so manychallenges. There has been a mounting pressure on water and relatedresources and on the ecosystems of the Mekong River Basin as aresult of increasing demand for natural resources for socio- economicactivities, including energy and food.
The Mekong Riverhas become one of the five largest rivers in the world with most seriousflow reduction. The annual average flow of the Mekong River atChieng Sen, the gateway to the Lower Mekong Basin, has beenreduced by 10 percent within the past 30 years. In Vientiane, Laos,the Mekong River has dried out to the point the people can walkacross the river in the dry season. Meanwhile, in Thailand, the oncecalm Chao Phraya River inflicted huge floods of a nationaldisaster level for months in 2011. In the Mekong River Delta of VietNam, salinity intrusion happened for the first time in the areas of TanChau and Chau Doc of An Giang Province. Such impacts have become evermore severe and urgent in the face of adverse impacts of climate changehitting riparian countries. In a worst-case climate scenario, sea levelwill rise up to one meter in Viet Nam in the next 100 years,submerging 40 percent of the Mekong River Delta and directly affecting10 percent of the Vietnamese population.
To address suchchallenges, national efforts are not enough. We need to strengthenregional cooperation, particularly among the riparian countries, bothupper and lower, through multilateral and sub-regional mechanisms suchas the MRC.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Nearly 20 yearssince its inception, the MRC has been growing on the basis of the 1995Mekong Agreement with important achievements, including theestablishment of fundamental principles and strategic vision to ensureequitable and reasonable use of water resources in the Mekong RiverBasin . We are encouraged by the positive outcomes in theimplementation of the 2010 Hua Hin Declaration, the 2011-2015 StrategicPlan of the MRC and the Basin Development Strategy on the basis ofIntegrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Thanks to the Members’efforts, 78 out of the 130 activities under the regional Action Planhave been rolled out with over 30 percent completed.
Nevertheless, as strongly echoed at the Pre-Summit InternationalConference, we may and should redouble efforts to better capitalize oncooperation opportunities and rise above these acute challenges. Withthat, leaders of the MRC Member Countries have considered the adoptionof the Ho Chi Minh City Declaration at this Summit to reaffirm theHua Hin commitments and lay down the way forward for the MRC’sdevelopment in the upcoming crucial period.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As a responsible Member and most downstream Mekong River country,Viet Nam always wishes to work with the other riparian countries forthe sustainable development of the region. To strengthen the role ofthe MRC in our common interests, I propose that we place greateremphasis on the followings:
First, continue to fully andeffectively implement the 1995 Mekong Agreement as well as theprocedures and guidelines of the MRC on the equitable and reasonable useof water resources, including the Procedures for Notification, PriorConsultation, and Agreement ( PNPCA ) to support sound decision-makingon proposed water resources development projects in the MekongRiver Basin.
Second, update the progress of andintensify the implementation of the IWRM-based Basin DevelopmentStrategy through national and regional action plans. In the developmentof the MRC’s 2016-2020 Strategic Plan, consider adopting a new approachof water, energy and food nexus with a long-term, inter-disciplinary andmulti-sectoral vision.
Third, step up the MRC’s researchand forecast activities, with focus on and highest priority given to thecompletion of the MRC Council Study on the sustainable management anddevelopment of the Mekong River , including the impacts ofmainstream hydropower projects.
Fourth, further strengthenthe MRC’s monitoring and coordination of Member Countries’ commitmentsto cooperation, management, utilization and protection of the MekongRiver for the sustainable development of the region. It is alsonecessary to continue consolidating the regional and international legalframeworks to promote the equitable and reasonable utilization andsustainable development of water resources.
Fifth, furtherexpand cooperation between the MRC and its Dialogue Partners as well asencouraging the participation of and consultation among countries withinand outside the region for the sustainable development of the basin.
Viet Nam joins the other MRC Members in commending the twoDialogue Partners of China and Myanmar for the cooperation andsharing of related information and experience. We also praise thedevelopment partners for their interest, support and assistance, andlook forward to their continued financial and technical assistancetoward realizing the priority areas of actions of the MRC in theupcoming period.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As a nation,Viet Nam’s foundation and development process has always beenassociated with water rice civilization. The Mekong River is,therefore, essential to our socio-economic development, and regionalfood security is also at stake. The Mekong Delta of Viet Nam, an area ofover 40,000 km 2 , is home to nearly 20 million people. Every year, thedelta contributes some 27 percent of the GDP, 90 percent the riceexport and approximately 60 percent of the sea-food export of Viet Nam. Nevertheless, the region has found itself impacted by climate changeand Mekong mainstream projects and millions of local inhabitantsfound their livelihood significantly affected.
In this context,the Vietnamese Government has been exerting enormous efforts to ensurestable and sustainable development of the Mekong Delta as well as toaddress the challenges of water security and climate change. We haveadopted the National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change, theNational Strategy on water resources towards 2020 and specific actionplans. In addition, the Vietnamese Government has proactively conductedthe Study on the impacts of mainstream hydropower development on theMekong Delta of Viet Nam. We welcome commitments from the Laos andCambodian Governments to participating in this Study, and look forwardto receiving support and assistance from development partners and donorsto complete this project by the end of 2015 as scheduled.
TheVietnamese Government has cleared internal procedures for to join the1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Usesof International Watercourses. This is part of our efforts to strengthenregional and international legal frameworks on the management,utilization and development of water resources at international riversin a sustainable, equitable and reasonable manner.
Ladies and gentlemen,
With all twists and turns of history, the Mekong River remains abridge of friendship and cooperation spanning the riparian countries.Today, in addition to ensuring livelihoods of more than 60 millionpeople in the basin, the Mekong River offers vast potentials forcultural exchanges, tourism and economic cooperation for the regionalcountries.
I am confident that through exchanges and dialogue“in the spirit of Mekong Cooperation”, we will effectively address thechallenges related to water resources, energy and food security whilesecuring the legitimate interests of the people in the Mekong RiverBasin in terms of economic development, social security andenvironmental protection. As such, the Mekong River will remainforever a shared valuable asset of the present and future generations.
With that, may I declare open the Second Summit Mekong River Commission.
May the Summit be a great success!
May you all be of good health and happiness!
Thank you.”.
“Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen of the Kingdom of Cambodia,
Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong of the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos,
Heads of Delegations of the Kingdom of Thailand , the People’sRepublic of China, and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government and people of Viet Nam , I warmlywelcome leaders and representatives of the Member Countries, DialoguePartners, Development Partners and international organizations to theSecond Mekong River Commission Summit.
Our Meeting is of greatsignificance to the Member Countries and to the Mekong cooperationprocess, as we will jointly review the implementation of the 2010 HuaHin Declaration, deliberate on opportunities and challenges, and chartout the way forward for the Mekong River Commission (MRC) for the periodof 2016 - 2020. We are commemorating the 20th anniversary of theAgreement on Mekong Cooperation and the establishment of the MekongRiver Commission next year, and this gives our forum today addedmeanings. Under the theme “Water, Energy and Food Security in thecontext of climate change for the Mekong River Basin ”, our Summitrepresents part of the international community’s joint efforts topromote water, energy and food security, particularly as we arecelebrating the 2014 World Water Day - Water and Energy.
Iapplaud the Secretariat for its excellent job in helping ensure thesuccess of the International Conference under the theme "Cooperation forWater, Energy and Food Security in trans-boundary Basins under changingclimate". Over 300 participants with a number of proposals andinitiatives floated out indicated the significant interest of theinternational community as well as the great potential for cooperationin sustainable use and development of trans-boundary rivers, includingthe Mekong River.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Neverbefore has the Mekong River Basin been confronted with so manychallenges. There has been a mounting pressure on water and relatedresources and on the ecosystems of the Mekong River Basin as aresult of increasing demand for natural resources for socio- economicactivities, including energy and food.
The Mekong Riverhas become one of the five largest rivers in the world with most seriousflow reduction. The annual average flow of the Mekong River atChieng Sen, the gateway to the Lower Mekong Basin, has beenreduced by 10 percent within the past 30 years. In Vientiane, Laos,the Mekong River has dried out to the point the people can walkacross the river in the dry season. Meanwhile, in Thailand, the oncecalm Chao Phraya River inflicted huge floods of a nationaldisaster level for months in 2011. In the Mekong River Delta of VietNam, salinity intrusion happened for the first time in the areas of TanChau and Chau Doc of An Giang Province. Such impacts have become evermore severe and urgent in the face of adverse impacts of climate changehitting riparian countries. In a worst-case climate scenario, sea levelwill rise up to one meter in Viet Nam in the next 100 years,submerging 40 percent of the Mekong River Delta and directly affecting10 percent of the Vietnamese population.
To address suchchallenges, national efforts are not enough. We need to strengthenregional cooperation, particularly among the riparian countries, bothupper and lower, through multilateral and sub-regional mechanisms suchas the MRC.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Nearly 20 yearssince its inception, the MRC has been growing on the basis of the 1995Mekong Agreement with important achievements, including theestablishment of fundamental principles and strategic vision to ensureequitable and reasonable use of water resources in the Mekong RiverBasin . We are encouraged by the positive outcomes in theimplementation of the 2010 Hua Hin Declaration, the 2011-2015 StrategicPlan of the MRC and the Basin Development Strategy on the basis ofIntegrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Thanks to the Members’efforts, 78 out of the 130 activities under the regional Action Planhave been rolled out with over 30 percent completed.
Nevertheless, as strongly echoed at the Pre-Summit InternationalConference, we may and should redouble efforts to better capitalize oncooperation opportunities and rise above these acute challenges. Withthat, leaders of the MRC Member Countries have considered the adoptionof the Ho Chi Minh City Declaration at this Summit to reaffirm theHua Hin commitments and lay down the way forward for the MRC’sdevelopment in the upcoming crucial period.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As a responsible Member and most downstream Mekong River country,Viet Nam always wishes to work with the other riparian countries forthe sustainable development of the region. To strengthen the role ofthe MRC in our common interests, I propose that we place greateremphasis on the followings:
First, continue to fully andeffectively implement the 1995 Mekong Agreement as well as theprocedures and guidelines of the MRC on the equitable and reasonable useof water resources, including the Procedures for Notification, PriorConsultation, and Agreement ( PNPCA ) to support sound decision-makingon proposed water resources development projects in the MekongRiver Basin.
Second, update the progress of andintensify the implementation of the IWRM-based Basin DevelopmentStrategy through national and regional action plans. In the developmentof the MRC’s 2016-2020 Strategic Plan, consider adopting a new approachof water, energy and food nexus with a long-term, inter-disciplinary andmulti-sectoral vision.
Third, step up the MRC’s researchand forecast activities, with focus on and highest priority given to thecompletion of the MRC Council Study on the sustainable management anddevelopment of the Mekong River , including the impacts ofmainstream hydropower projects.
Fourth, further strengthenthe MRC’s monitoring and coordination of Member Countries’ commitmentsto cooperation, management, utilization and protection of the MekongRiver for the sustainable development of the region. It is alsonecessary to continue consolidating the regional and international legalframeworks to promote the equitable and reasonable utilization andsustainable development of water resources.
Fifth, furtherexpand cooperation between the MRC and its Dialogue Partners as well asencouraging the participation of and consultation among countries withinand outside the region for the sustainable development of the basin.
Viet Nam joins the other MRC Members in commending the twoDialogue Partners of China and Myanmar for the cooperation andsharing of related information and experience. We also praise thedevelopment partners for their interest, support and assistance, andlook forward to their continued financial and technical assistancetoward realizing the priority areas of actions of the MRC in theupcoming period.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As a nation,Viet Nam’s foundation and development process has always beenassociated with water rice civilization. The Mekong River is,therefore, essential to our socio-economic development, and regionalfood security is also at stake. The Mekong Delta of Viet Nam, an area ofover 40,000 km 2 , is home to nearly 20 million people. Every year, thedelta contributes some 27 percent of the GDP, 90 percent the riceexport and approximately 60 percent of the sea-food export of Viet Nam. Nevertheless, the region has found itself impacted by climate changeand Mekong mainstream projects and millions of local inhabitantsfound their livelihood significantly affected.
In this context,the Vietnamese Government has been exerting enormous efforts to ensurestable and sustainable development of the Mekong Delta as well as toaddress the challenges of water security and climate change. We haveadopted the National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change, theNational Strategy on water resources towards 2020 and specific actionplans. In addition, the Vietnamese Government has proactively conductedthe Study on the impacts of mainstream hydropower development on theMekong Delta of Viet Nam. We welcome commitments from the Laos andCambodian Governments to participating in this Study, and look forwardto receiving support and assistance from development partners and donorsto complete this project by the end of 2015 as scheduled.
TheVietnamese Government has cleared internal procedures for to join the1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Usesof International Watercourses. This is part of our efforts to strengthenregional and international legal frameworks on the management,utilization and development of water resources at international riversin a sustainable, equitable and reasonable manner.
Ladies and gentlemen,
With all twists and turns of history, the Mekong River remains abridge of friendship and cooperation spanning the riparian countries.Today, in addition to ensuring livelihoods of more than 60 millionpeople in the basin, the Mekong River offers vast potentials forcultural exchanges, tourism and economic cooperation for the regionalcountries.
I am confident that through exchanges and dialogue“in the spirit of Mekong Cooperation”, we will effectively address thechallenges related to water resources, energy and food security whilesecuring the legitimate interests of the people in the Mekong RiverBasin in terms of economic development, social security andenvironmental protection. As such, the Mekong River will remainforever a shared valuable asset of the present and future generations.
With that, may I declare open the Second Summit Mekong River Commission.
May the Summit be a great success!
May you all be of good health and happiness!
Thank you.”.
