Prime Minister's instruction on erosion prevention at riverbanks and coastlines in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau Provinces of Vietnam

Prime Minister's instruction on erosion prevention at riverbanks and coastlines in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau Provinces of Vietnam (Image from the Internet)

Prime Minister's instruction on erosion prevention at riverbanks and coastlines in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau Provinces of Vietnam

On August 11, 2024, under the assignment of the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam Tran Luu Quang led a delegation to survey and inspect flood prevention measures and direct efforts to address riverbank and coastal erosion in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces. The delegation inspected and surveyed coastal erosion in Vinh Trach Dong commune (Bac Lieu city), Ganh Hao riverbank (belonging to Dong Hai district), Bac Lieu province; inspected and surveyed coastal erosion at Ganh Hao estuary area in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces; and held discussions with Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces about the erosion situation and riverbank and coastal erosion prevention efforts.

According to Notice 379/TB-VPCP dated August 14, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang made the following conclusions and directives:

(1) The Mekong Delta holds an extremely important strategic role and position in the socio-economic development, national defense, and security of the entire country, significantly contributing to enhancing the status and prestige of our country in the region and the world through agricultural exports, especially rice exports.

However, the Mekong Delta is considered the most sensitive and vulnerable area in the country to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. Through field surveys and reports from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committees of Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces, the situation of riverbank and coastal erosion, land subsidence in the Mekong Delta generally, especially in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces, is becoming more complex with unusual factors, such as erosion occurring not only during the rainy season but also in the dry season, not only on rivers but also in many canals, in places where protective measures have been constructed. Erosion in certain areas poses safety risks to sea dikes, houses, essential infrastructure in transportation and irrigation, and affects business activities and the lives of the people.

On behalf of the Government of Vietnam and the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister shared the significant difficulties and challenges that the Mekong Delta region has faced, is facing, and will continue to face, particularly the impacts of climate change, sea-level rise, drought, saltwater intrusion, riverbank erosion, coastal erosion, and land subsidence.

(2) Regarding tasks and solutions in the coming time:

- It is proposed that localities in the Mekong Delta region (especially Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces) and relevant ministries and sectors, according to their assigned functions, tasks, and authorities, continue to seriously implement the tasks and solutions for riverbank and coastal erosion, land subsidence, and waterlogging prevention as concluded by the Prime Minister in Notice 349/TB-VPCP dated August 24, 2023, focusing on several key issues:

+ Focus on improving forecasting work, detecting areas at risk of erosion and land subsidence to promptly warn the people, preventing passive, unexpected situations, and loss of life due to riverbank and coastal erosion and land subsidence.

+ Enhance communication and encourage local residents living in areas showing signs of erosion or high risk of erosion to proactively evacuate from dangerous areas to ensure safety for their lives and reduce property damage. Additionally, actively develop support plans for housing and livelihoods for evacuated residents as per regulations.

+ The solutions and investment in constructing riverbank and coastal erosion prevention works must ensure comprehensiveness, consistency, fundamental and multi-purpose objectives, meeting sustainable development requirements, avoiding the situation where construction in one locality affects another (especially on the same river), or projects serving one purpose negatively impact another field causing conflicts of interest and wasting investment resources.

+ The demand for capital for constructing riverbank and coastal erosion prevention works is significant. Localities need to proactively review and prioritize investments according to their resource balancing capabilities; proactively allocate funds within the medium-term public investment plan from the local budget, alongside support from the central budget, and mobilize other legal sources of funds (including non-budget resources) for step-by-step implementation ensuring comprehensiveness and consistency.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam should urgently complete the overall scheme for the Mekong Delta, including tasks for erosion prevention, land subsidence, drought, and saltwater intrusion prevention, and report to the Government and the Prime Minister as per the Prime Minister’s instructions.

(3) Regarding emergency investment in handling areas with erosion directly affecting residents and essential infrastructure, the Chairpersons of the People's Committees of Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces should direct a thorough review, prioritize the order, and proactively allocate local budget reserves and other legal sources of funds to immediately address truly critical and urgent areas to ensure the safety of people’s lives, dikes, and other essential infrastructures; if the local budget has been utilized but is still insufficient, prepare complete documentation and report to the competent authorities as per the regulations of the Law on State Budget, Public Investment, Natural disaster management, and other relevant laws.

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