Vietnamese Prime Minister receives WB Vice President

Hanoi, August 26 (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung welcomed WB Vice President and Special Envoy for climate change Rachel Kyte in Hanoi on August 25. At the reception, PM Dung thanked the WB for supporting Vietnam in various fields of work, including poverty reduction, sustainable development, environmental protection, and adaptation to climate change and rising sea levels. In regards to the environment, Vietnam is facing considerable challenges, since it is not only severely affected by climate change and rising sea levels, but also greatly relies on water resources outside, particularly along the main streams of the Mekong River, he said. PM Dung voiced his hope that the WB will continue supporting Vietnam in policy development and technical advice, as well as providing financial assistance, so that the country can effectively respond to climate change and rising sea levels. The bank should provide guidance to Vietnam and other countries in the region on sustainably and effectively using the resources of the Mekong River, he added. The leader of the Vietnamese Government highlighted Vietnam’s commitment to international efforts to address these issues, including those led by the WB, as these issues are not only of national, but also of global concern. For her part, Kyte stated that the WB is strongly committed to a partnership with Vietnam as the country has demonstrated its dedication to addressing these issues. The bank pledges to provide Vietnam with financial and technical support, knowledge and experience, as well as coordinating global efforts to help the country deal with climate change and sea level rise, she said. In addition to the WB, other development partners are also willing to support and finance Vietnam’s plans and programmes, she said, adding that they encourage Vietnam to draft a list of feasible projects and concrete measures for effective implementation. Regarding the effective and sustainable use of Mekong River water resources, the WB representative stated that the WB Group will coordinate with global efforts to facilitate a regional dialogue on the use of Mekong River resources. The bank is willing to support regional efforts and play a role as a strategic partner regarding this crucial issue, Kyte said.-VNA