Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Chu Phạm Ngọc Hiển, delviers speech at a conference in Hà Nội yesterday. — Photo baotainguyenmoitruong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Challenges related to inter-country water resources have existed throughout the history of human development, but recently the problems have become more urgent, posing a serious global and strategic problem, said Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Chu Phạm Ngọc Hiển, at a conference in Hà Nội yesterday.

Deputy Minister Hiển said that to cope with problems related to water resources, the country should improve education on laws and information about water resources to residents and enterprises.

Water resource protection should be strengthened and more inspection and punishment should be focused on violations involving water resources.

Concerned ministries and organisations should set up financial policies to encourage economical and effective water usage, with a focus on agricultural and industrial processes, he said.

An overall scheme for water resource use should be set up for the whole country, especially the water in larger rivers and inter-country rivers. Water use schemes for different provinces and cities should also be considered, said Hiển.

International co-operation should be strengthened to deal with the use of  water from the Hồng (Red) River and Mekong River with countries at its upper reaches.

Deputy Minister Hiển expressed his hope that all provinces and cities across the country were fully aware of the urgent need to protect and use water resources efficiently.

In poor remote and mountainous areas, local authorities should spread knowledge to residents about the importance of protecting the watershed to develop water sources.

In plains and coastal areas, especially in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta, residents should plant trees to protect and develop mangrove forests and strengthen water protection construction work.

Nguyễn Chí Công, deputy director of the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation, pointed out more difficulties related to water resources, such as contradictions in water resource exploitation and use leading to insecurity, water flow changes, drought, pollution and the endangerment of the ecosystem.

Pauline Eizema, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Việt Nam, said her country had experience in protecting water resources and share it with Việt Nam. — VNS