Vietnam praised long-term and effectivecooperation from the government and agencies of the Netherlands incoping with climate change.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Khoi Nguyen affirmedthe appreciation at the opening ceremony of a workshop on plan to helpMekong delta region coping with climate change, being held insouthern Can Tho city on Mar. 29-30.

Netherlands had experiences over hundreds of years in the fightagainst the sea erosion, which, Nguyen said were very precious forVietnam , especially the Mekong delta region, which contributes halfof the country’s rice output and 90 percent of its total rice exportvolume.

He stressed that helping the region effectively cope with climate changeand sustainably develop would contribute to ensuring both the nationand the world’ food security.

The minister informed that the Party, State and Government have paidmuch attention to coping with climate change and every ministry, sectorand locality is building their own plans on the matter. The Ministry ofNatural Resources and Environment is coordinating with eight cities andprovinces, including six Mekong delta provinces most suffering fromimpacts of climate change, to build an action plan on coping withclimate change.

The workshop is part of activities under the memorandum of understandingon cooperation in management of the Mekong delta basin and banks signedlast October between the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry ofVietnam and the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water ManagementMinistry of the Netherlands .

The workshop focuses on the building of medium and long-term plans forcomprehensive development in the region and response to climate changebased on Dutch experiences and assistance.

Those plans will be submitted for approval to develop practical,feasible programmes and projects to call for domestic and foreigninvestment./.