(VOVworld) – Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh has called on the international community to continue supporting Vietnam and effectively implement the National Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation. She made the request while speaking at a UN high-ranking conference on how to cope with El Nino effects and mitigate climate change risks.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh speaks at a high-level segment of ECOSOC (Photo: VNA)

In her speech, Mrs. Thinh referred to the impact of climate change, including the prolonged El Nino phenomenon, on the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the people’s realization of their rights. She detailed the recent incidents of drought and saline intrusion in Vietnam, the worst to hit the country in the last nine decades.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Vice President met with senior UN leaders. Meeting with the President of the UN General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, Mrs. Thinh said that Vietnam will continue upholding its responsible membership of the international community and the UN. Mogens Lykketoft said that the UN will support Vietnam in responding to climate change and realizing SDGs.

UN Under-Secretary General and Director of the UN Development Program (UNDP) Helen Clark said the UNDP will enhance links with and assist Vietnam in, improving institutional capacity, green growth and climate change response between 2017-2021.