Cross-border control, aiming towards a haze-free ASEAN

On November 30, in Nha Trang City, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinated with the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee and relevant parties to organize the Twelfth meeting of the Sub-regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution in the Mekong Sub-region. The conference was attended by leaders of five Mekong sub-region countries including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The conference was organized to share knowledge, and experience, discuss solutions, and make important decisions related to forest fire and peatland fire management issues, as well as managing and controlling haze pollution in Mekong sub-region countries in particular and the ASEAN community in general, aiming towards a haze-free ASEAN.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quoc Tri said: We need to strengthen forest fire prevention and fighting, promote monitoring and early warning. This is a top priority to minimize the occurrence of transboundary haze pollution. In addition, Vietnam commits to devoting all necessary resources to well-implement activities on sustainable forest management, protection and development of forest resources.

“To cope with unusual weather developments, especially the impact of El Nino, Vietnam calls for comprehensive cooperation from countries in the Mekong sub-region, with the joining hands of donors and international organizations to act together for an ASEAN community that always has a clean environment and sustainable development", Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quoc Tri said.

At the conference, countries discussed and shared initiatives to minimize forest fires, and peatland fires and control haze pollution in the dry season. In addition, countries also emphasized the importance of action-oriented programs as well as the role of local communities in the prevention, control, reduction and treatment of transboundary haze pollution.

At the same time, the conference also proposed a second roadmap for ASEAN cooperation towards controlling transboundary haze pollution, the second ASEAN peatland management strategy and implementation measures, as well as the ASEAN investment framework for haze-free sustainable land management.

The conference also agreed to establish the ASEAN Coordination Center for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control and expected the centre to operate effectively. In addition, there will be a mid-term review of the roadmap to check progress and maintain momentum to ensure the achievement of the haze-free ASEAN goal by 2030.​