The Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands has recently held a meeting to review the implementation of the Government’s General Management Programme for North Central Region and Coastal Central Region, or Programme 158, and launch State management tasks on seas and islands this year.

The event offered a chance to popularise achievements in the State management on seas and islands as set under the Viet Nam Sea Strategy towards 2020, and experience in developing the marine and island-based economy in localities nationwide.

After four years of implementation, the 13-year Programme 158, with five groups of tasks in the first phase, saw initial achievements through eight projects at the central level and 17 projects at local level.

Since the large-scale programme covered 14 provinces with the participation of many ministries, shortcomings were inevitable.

In the near future, the Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands will expand the programme to 28 coastal cities and provinces, continue perfecting the system of legal documents, creating a legal avenue for the unified general State management of seas and islands, and build a Draft Law on Marine, Island Resources and Environment for submission to relevant authorities.

It will also work closely with the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment in centrally governed coastal cities and provinces to strengthen State agencies for sea and island management through training courses, as well as raise public awareness of the model of general management in coastal regions, which is new to Viet Nam despite its success in the world.

The event also aimed to prepare for the launch of “Viet Nam Seas and Islands Week 2012”, which will take place in the central city of Vung Tau from June 5-8.

With the aim of popularising the important role of seas and islands and raise public awareness of environmental protection and defending national sovereignty over seas and islands, the event will feature a meeting to respond to the World Environment Day, the fourth marine brand forum themed “Economic potential and ecological environment of Vietnamese seas and islands”, the third Viet Nam marine-based economy forum, and a live broadcast on music performances and exchanges themed “Viet Nam - strong in seas, rich from seas”./.

NBC/VNA