Deputy Prime Ministers Vuong Dinh Hue and Trinh Dinh Dzung oversaw the opening session. Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Hue - who is also the Head of the Steering Committee for the Southwestern region, underlined the importance of the Mekong Delta to Vietnam's economy.
This area, however, also remains one of the most vulnerable in the country to the effects of climate change. The conference is set to give an overview of the challenges facing the region as well as tackle the specific effects of climate change that will require the Mekong Delta to adapt.
The morning session saw 3 discussion groups focusing on solutions to modify developmental models for the Mekong Delta, develop sustainable agriculture and irrigation infrastructure, as well as mitigate the occurrence of landslides and other natural disaster impacts. Last year, Vietnam's largest rice-producing region witnessed record-breaking extreme weather conditions - seriously impacting agricultural production and people's livelihood in the area.
