Experts from Holland, Germany and Australia shared their countries’expertise and experience on sustainable environment management incoastal areas with a view to applying for the Mekong Delta region at adialogue held in Can Tho City on November 4.

The event wasco-organised by the Steering Committee for the Southwest Region and theMekong Delta province of Soc Trang in collaboration with the GermanAgency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Integrated CoastalManagement Programme (ICMP), as part of activities in the framework ofthe Mekong Delta Economic Development (MDEC) Forum now underway in SocTrang.

Among 13 Mekong Delta provinces, seven are located alongthe coastline. In recent years, coastal areas are facing seriousenvironmental challenges, particularly the shrinking of mangroveforests, salt water intrusion and waste discharge from aquaculture.

Domestic and foreign experts analysed the current environmentalconditions in the Mekong Delta’s coastal areas and explained theapproaches to the issue adopted by other countries. They proposedsolutions to the existing problems in managing coastal areas in Vietnamand how to efficiently learn from international experiences in thisfield.

Participants were also polled about an inter-provincemechanism to carry out an integrated protection programme for coastalareas and mangrove ecology in the Mekong Delta.

The dialogueoutlined a coordination mechanism between Mekong Delta localities, theSouthwestern Steering Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment and the GIZ to facilitate cooperation projects in the timeahead.-VNA