Int'l Donors Assist US$200Mln to Forestry Sector

Twenty-three international partners have so far pledged to provide US$200 million and technical assistance for Vietnam to carry out its major forestry development strategies over the next five years.

This financial and technical assistance will help the forestry sector draw up a strategy for the 2006-2010 period, make revisions to the law on forest protection and development, adjust decision 661/TTg on the plan to plant 5 million ha of forest, establish a nation-wide forest sector monitoring and information system (FOMIS), improve ranger offices at all levels and compile a forestry handbook and launch a website of the sector.

This was reported by the Vietnam Forestry Sector Support Program (FSSP) Partnership Steering Committee at its annual meeting in Hanoi today.

At the meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant ministries and sectors, and international partners, worked together to devise measures for the forestry sector to overcome challenges and initiate the national forestry strategy for the 2006-2010 period and the growing of 5 million ha of forest.

The forestry sector this year will focus on a wide range of activities, including managing and protecting forests sustainably, preserving bio-diversity, providing environmental protection services, processing forestry products, and organising courses on forest plantation and protection.

• (VNS, Vietnam & World Economy)