As the project embarks on to its 7th year, the 7th Project Steering Committee Meeting for project AFoCO/006/2014 “Rehabilitation and Development of Mangrove Forest Ecosystem in Thai Binh Province” was held virtually on 25 January 2022. The meeting was arranged to discuss the following agendas: follow-up of the 6th PSC meeting regarding the Records of Discussion (RoD), annual progress and financial report of 2021, presentation from provincial PMB regarding “Proposals on livelihood alternatives under the canopy of mangrove forest”, annual work plan and budget for 2022 along with the coping-up measures under COVID-19 to be approved by the PSC meeting.
The meeting was joined by the Project Steering Committee members from Cambodia and the AFoCO Secretariat. The meeting was formally called into order by Mr. Tran Hieu Minh, National Project Director and the Deputy Director of Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation of Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), the Chairman of the PSC, warmly welcomed all the participants from both sides and other members of the PSC.
During the meeting, Mr. Luu Tien Dat, the Project Coordinator of AFoCO/006/2014 provided a presentation on the 2021 annual physical progress and financial progress, and thereafter proceeded to the work and budget plan for 2022 covering 12 months from January to December. After the presentations of the progress of 2021, thereafter followed a short presentation related to the “proposals on livelihood alternatives under the canopy of mangrove forest”, in which several proposals regarding local communities’ utilization of the mangrove forest as alternative livelihoods were presented for the Secretariat’s recommendation.
The AFoCO Secretariat acknowledged the continuous hard work dedicated to achieving the set goals and plans despite the tremendous challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the meeting adjourned with hopes that the COVID-19 situation would improve in the future for the next PSC meeting planned for December 2022, to be held in-person in Seoul and for the Viet Nam side to visit the Seoul and the Secretariat in time for the 15th World Forestry Congress next year in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Submitted by Cha Jiyea, Assistant Program Officer
