Addressing an international conference in Hanoi on June 17, Rutte stressed the need to draw up a clear strategy for implementing the plan and said the Netherlands is ready to share its experience in climate change adaptation and water management with Vietnam.

He called for joint efforts from both sides to turn theory into practise and fully tap the great potential of the Mekong Delta.

Dutch PM M. Ruttte called for joint efforts to realilse the Mekong Delta Plan (Photo Nhat Bac)

According to Rutte, the Netherlands and the Mekong Delta have many things in common, including low lying land, a high population density and a similar sized area. Both are confronted with similar threats, like rising sea levels, changes in river flows, and salt water intrusion.

In December 2013 Vietnam and the Netherlands jointly formulated the Mekong Delta Plan, aiming to effectively respond to climate change in the short- and long-term.

The Mekong Delta, with its highly competitive advantage of agricultural production, accounts for more than half the national rice output, helping Vietnam to be amongst the top three rice exporters in the world. It is rich in biodiversity and home to many migrating bird and fish species.

However, the region is facing numerous challenges, primarily the negative impact of climate change and mounting pressure from socio-economic development, which need to be addressed urgently.

The delta is consequently receiving special attention from the government and the international community to achieve prosperous and sustainable development alongside climate change adaptation.

Vietnamese PM Nguyen Tan Dung noted climate change is taking its toll on the Mekong Delta region (Photo: Nhat Bac)

In his speech, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said Vietnam is one of several coastal countries severely affected by climate change.

The government has integrated climate change adaptation into national socio-economic development plans, drawn up and implemented national strategies on natural disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change adaptation, green growth, natural resources management, and environmental protection.

Dung appreciated the Netherlands’ assistance in carrying out a study on the Mekong Delta Plan, saying its results and recommendations helped Vietnam adjust development orientations of this strategically important region.

He pointed out five solutions for combating climate change and sustaining socio-economic development in the region, including developing environmentally friendly social and technical infrastructure, using natural resources cost-effectively and protecting the ecological environment.

He thanked the Netherlands and other development partners for the valuable assistance they have given, and called for additional support for climate change efforts in Vietnam and the Mekong Delta in particular.

Vietnam is committed to using ODA effectively and contributing its resources to implementing donors’ assistance programmes for the Mekong Delta, Dung added.

At the conference, development partners, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations, pledged to work closely with relevant Vietnamese agencies to support sustainable and integrated development in the Mekong Delta.