Mr. Chair,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great honour and pleasure to join His Excellency President Sebastian P. Echenique of Chile, President of PepsiCo Asia-Pacific region Umran Beba and Chief Executive of Singapore National Water Agency Chew Men Leong at this plenary session. Our discussion on “Water: new global strategic resource” is timely and highly relevant to APEC as this reaffirms the Forum’s shared responsibility and substantial contributions to the joint efforts of the international community.

The increasing scarcity of water as a global strategic resource constitutes an adverse impact not only on economic growth but also on the security environment of many countries and regions worldwide.

It would not be exaggerating or too soon to say that “the water resource of the 21st century is as crucial to life as oil of the 19th and 20th centuries”. So, it is about time that we take a comprehensive approach and give due attention to the sustainable exploitation, utilization and management of water resources on a global scale.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Water-related challenges have been in place throughout the history of mankind, but never have those challenges become an pressing issue of global and strategic concern as they are today.

First, water resources have a direct impact on the quality of life. As we all know, the world population is increasing rapidly, resulting in a strong  demand for water, food and energy. About 1/3 of countries are located in water-scarce regions.  Water-scarce countries will make up 2/3 of the world with 2 billion people by 2015.

Second, water resources are deeply impinged climate change. Obviously, the increasing frequency and intensity of abnormal natural disasters are making the water resource problems more complex, unpredictable and causing water depletion.

So, it is not a coincidence that the United Nations has selected “Water and Food Security” as the theme for the 2012 World Water Day.

Third, economic and social activities, especially hasty industrialization and urbanization, are adversely affecting water resources. Water pollution causes many epidemics. That is why the United Nations 2012 MDGs Report makes it clearly that, as of now, 11% of the world’s population or 783 million people still are living without access to clean water.

We cannot deny the fact that tensions over water resources are threatening economic growth in many countries and representing a source of conflict, especially at a time when  countries are accelerating their economic development.

Currently, about 150 nations are sharing the same water resources. Dam construction and stream adjustments by some countries in upstream rivers constitute a growing concern for many countries and implicitly impinge on relations between relevant countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our region is typically confronted with numerous water-related challenges in the near future. Though making up 60% of the world’s population and having the highest rate of economic growth and urbanization, the Asia - Pacific region possesses only 35% of global water resources.

Water scarcity also poses major threat to food security in the region where 2/3 of the world’s underfed people are living. Concurrently, our region alone has recorded 70% of the world’s natural disasters, particularly floods, droughts, earthquakes, sea level rises, etc. These result in declining water quality and adversely affecting the poverty reduction efforts in many countries.

Like many other countries in the region, Viet Nam is faced with numerous water-related challenges. Water resources, including river and underground water, are seriously declining, while floods, sea level rises, high tides, coastal erosion… have been exacerbated.

The  management and efficient utilization of water resources in the Mekong River are developing into a pressing issue with direct and unfavorable bearing upon the largest rice granary of Viet Nam.

As one of the leading global suppliers of agricultural products, Viet Nam holds the protection and management of water resources in high regard and considers this to be an important element of the National Sustainable Development Strategy for 2011-2020 period and the National Strategy on Water Resources until 2020.

We are also making every effort to contribute to the multi-layered international cooperation in ensuring water resource security, ranging from bilateral, sub-regional to inter-regional  and global channels.

We have recently put forward proposals to enhance cooperation between the Mekong countries and Japan in conducting the “Research on sustainable utilization and development of the Mekong River, including research on the impact of hydro-power dams on the mainstream”.

We also joined initiatives on the management of underground water and water during the dry season within the cooperation framework between the Lower Mekong countries and the United States.

We are engaging in various cooperation mechanisms, including those with ASEAN on water resource management and with APEC on natural disasters response.

Viet Nam also co-sponsored Asia-Europe initiative on promoting cooperation and experience sharing on water resource management between the Mekong and Danube riparian countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Again such a backdrop, it is imperative for APEC to work more closely together to ensure water resources security. In this vein, let me share with you some of my thoughts on what we need to do in the time to come:

First, water resources are closely linked to sustainable socio-economic development in every country and represent one of the UN Millennium Development Goals. For that reason, water resources protection and management should be mainstreamed into strategies for sustainable development and growth model transformation at national, regional and global levels.

Second, the APEC Forum should also expeditiously establish a dialogue mechanism on water resources. Such mechanism needs to be associated with APEC’s new Growth Strategy as well as the cooperation pillar on human security, food security and climate change response.

We also need to promote experience exchange and cooperation in the  management, sustainable exploitation and utilization of water resources, particularly transboundary ones. This should be done on the basis of respect for the principle of equality among water-sharing countries, cooperation for economic development, resolution of social problems and diseases control for the benefit of the residents of riparian countries.

Third, we have got to uphold the role of supporting and connecting sub-regional and regional cooperation programs in the Asia Pacific as well as the joint efforts of the international community towards that end.

We can engage in and support ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on Water Resources as well as programs of the Mekong River Commission and the Greater Mekong Sub-region Cooperation.

To translate those endeavours into reality, I am of the view that the involvement and contribution of regional businesses are essential. We should encourage them to invest more in research and development to promote water resources saving and efficient utilization, to develop waste water treatment technology, and to build up clean industrial process to minimize water pollution.

To uphold corporate social responsibility,  APEC businesses can make critical contributions to raising community awareness, and engage in the management, exploitation, distribution and regeneration of water resources and waste treatment.

This is time for action! Let us join hands in the protection and management of water - a new global strategic resource and work together to contribute responsibly to the sustainable development and dynamism of the Asia-Pacific region.

Thank you./.