PPC Vice Chairman, comrade Nguyen Thien Van hosted a working session with a delegation from Vietnam Water and Environment Association, together with National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation, aiming to strengthen cooperation in water resource management along with environmental protection.

PPC Vice Chairman, comrade Nguyen Thien Van sharing information and exchanging views with delegation members.

Vice Chairman Nguyen Thien Van noted that Dak Lak is facing mounting challenges surrounding water security amid climate change impacts, drought and demands for transitioning growth models towards green, circular as well as sustainable development. Against this backdrop, enhanced cooperation with scientific organisations, experts, policymakers and enterprises operating in water resources alongside environmental sectors holds vital significance for local development.

Dak Lak currently operates 1,208 irrigation facilities, including 676 dams and reservoirs, with a combined storage capacity reaching roughly 800 million cubic metres, ensuring proactive irrigation for nearly 207,000 hectares of agricultural land. However, infrastructure remains inconsistent as well as incomplete, while water losses during transmission stay high. Meanwhile, livestock production, industrial parks and industrial clusters continue placing significant pressure on water quality coupled with reserves, etc.

In response to these challenges, Dak Lak PPC is reorienting water resource management from a model centred on maximum exploitation towards smart, sustainable, circular and adaptive governance. Province is also accelerating development of a groundwater protection plan scheduled for issuance before July 2027 under provisions of Law on Water Resources.

Delegation from Vietnam Water and Environment Association presenting commemorative gifts and posing for a group photo with leaders of Dak Lak Province.

Addressing the working session, Mr. Chu Phạm Ngoc Hien, Chairman of Vietnam Water and Environment Association, highlighted association’s strengths through its experienced network of experts together with scientists, alongside enterprises capable of applying advanced technologies in production. He affirmed association’s commitment to acting as an “extended arm” connecting residents and businesses with State agencies, thereby helping transform policies alongside guidelines into practical solutions tailored to characteristics of each region. Notably, criteria relating to water resources and environmental protection consulted by association are currently under consideration for inclusion in national criteria for New Rural Development Programme in coming years.

Addressing the meeting, PPC Vice Chairman, comrade Nguyen Thien Van expressed hope for stronger cooperation among all parties while proposing practical directions for future collaboration, particularly in water resource management, environmental protection, digital transformation in water sector, climate change response, green agriculture, circular economy and investment promotion for sustainable development across Central Highlands and central coastal regions.

Translated by HAI LOAN