The UN Human Settlement Programme (UN Habitat) is willing to cooperate with Vietnam in urgent issues such as plastic waste and preservation of ancient cities, said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Habitat.

People join hands to collect garbage in a programme to protect the ocean

She made the statement during her meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha on June 26, within the framework of the sixth Global Environment Facility Assembly (GEF 6), which is underway in the central city of Da Nang.

The Vietnamese Minister thanked the UN Habitat for its cooperation and support for Vietnam over the years.

He also briefed his guest on UN Habitat’s projects to help Vietnam tackle challenges on urban areas, which focus on key determinants for sustainable urbanisation and inclusive urban development. 

Main fields of UN Habitat’s projects in Vietnam include land and housing, urban governance and planning, and environmentally sound urban infrastructure and services, among others.

The two sides took the occasion to put forward some cooperation possibilities in the coming time. 

Accordingly, UN Habitat may send international experts from prestigious research institutes to assist Vietnam in land use planning, land management and supervision of sustainable land use and resettlement.

In addition, the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands will join hands with UN Habitat Vietnam to improve environment for human settlement and ecological system at the Mekong Delta, aiming to prevent risks of climate change impacts.-VNA