Viet Nam-Cambodia boost forestry co-operation

HA NOI — The Vietnamese and Cambodian forestry administrations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost co-operation in the capital yesterday.

Accordingly, the two countries will enhance exchange of information, knowledge and experience in designing and implementing forestry-related strategies and programmes; strengthen co-operation in forest fire management, timber and wildlife transport and trade controlling, forest management and protection over a period of five years.

Moreover, the two countries will carry out activities to adapt to the changes of international timber markets to raise public awareness on forest resource protection and to better implement regional and international commitments towards forestry.

Speaking at the ceremony, Viet Nam's Forestry Administration Deputy Director General Nguyen Ba Ngai said that sharing a 1,000-km border line, the two countries have enjoyed long-lasting co-operation and that they recognised the importance of strengthening the practical effect of their collaboration in future.

Chea Sam Ang, deputy director general of Cambodia's Forestry Administration, expected that with the MoU, the two countries would make joint efforts in law enforcement in forest management as well as forest product trade to monitor and prevent cross-border transportation of illegal timber, especially along their shared border areas. — VNS