Comprehensive, integrated and equitable water resources management

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha shared this view at the high-level dialogue on Water Cooperation within the framework of the United Nations Conference on Water 2023 on the afternoon of March 23 (local time).

Quản lý tài nguyên nước tổng thể, tổng hợp, công bằng - Ảnh 1. — Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said that the unity of transboundary rivers, as well as the diversity of water resource needs, requires a cooperation mechanism between countries - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

This is a very important topic in the context of the urgent need to enhance cooperation in the management, exploitation and sustainable use of transboundary water resources and river basins.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said that 60% of Vietnam's water is produced from transboundary rivers. Vietnam also participates in the Mekong River Commission cooperation model, which is of interest to many countries. Globally, more than 40% of the global population currently lives in transboundary river and lake basins.

Quản lý tài nguyên nước tổng thể, tổng hợp, công bằng - Ảnh 2. — The Deputy Prime Minister discussed with speakers about building a legal framework associated with establishing social ethical standards in relations and behavior with water resources - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

The current need and concept considers transboundary rivers as a unified entity from upstream to downstream, including natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Each river basin has its own cultural characteristics, with unity related to socio -economic development and people's livelihoods.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, river basins all have very important functions in terms of environment, energy development, agriculture, aquaculture, water supply for production, daily life, entertainment, etc.

Each transboundary river basin needs to be fully recognized in order to have an integrated management mechanism. Along with that, the unification of transboundary rivers, as well as the diversity of water resource needs, requires a cooperation mechanism between countries.

"Water is the common denominator for development in the context of climate change impacts, energy transition, and other economic development activities. Therefore, water resource management, especially transboundary water, must be connected," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Quản lý tài nguyên nước tổng thể, tổng hợp, công bằng - Ảnh 3. — The high-level dialogue on Water Cooperation attracted the participation of many heads of delegations from many countries with transboundary rivers flowing through them - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

The Deputy Prime Minister shared a number of solutions for a comprehensive, integrated and equitable approach to cooperation in water resources management.

First of all, countries need to build a common legal framework for comprehensive and integrated management of transboundary river basins in diversity and unity. From there, countries together ensure sustainable exploitation and use of water; share benefits from water; exchange, discuss, and consult each other when proposing development projects based on impact assessment, environment, flow, and river basin.

In the context of climate change, the Deputy Prime Minister mentioned the urgency of forming a direct monitoring system and applying modern technological solutions to pose problems and forecast about rivers.

"The most important thing is to share the benefits of using and allocating water resources; solving the problem of water surplus and shortage, ensuring water flow and protecting ecosystems and biodiversity," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Analyzing the complexity of transboundary rivers, the Deputy Prime Minister said that there should be investment projects, full investigation and assessment, and at the same time, a comprehensive management plan should be developed. This includes plans for exploiting and using water resources, preserving biodiversity, and especially preserving the cultural values that rivers create.

Emphasizing that people's livelihoods are always linked to rivers, the Deputy Prime Minister said that in all management processes, decisions must be made based on people.

The Deputy Prime Minister proposed establishing United Nations agencies and organizations to coordinate and support science, technology, and financial mechanisms related to the management, exploitation, and use of water resources for countries with transboundary rivers flowing through them.

In addition, water resource management must be associated with climate change and environmental protection; building a legal framework along with establishing social ethical standards in relations and behavior with water resources.

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