Vietnam ready to join negotiations on draft Peru/ Rwanda resolution on plastic waste

Vietnam is ready to join negotiations on a draft resolution which aims to pave the way for an international legally binding agreement on marine litter and plastics to be presented by Peru and Rwanda at the second segment of the 5th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) in late February.

Vietnam ready to join negotiations on draft Peru/ Rwanda resolution on plastic waste

This is part of the tasks set out in the Prime Minister’s decision on approving a project named “Vietnam actively prepares and participates in building a global agreement on ocean pollution”.

As an international partner supporting Vietnam in developing contents for negotiations, the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF Vietnam) recently carried out many specific activities. Pham Manh Hoai, WWF Vietnam’s Plastic Policy and Partnership Programme Manager, said WWF is supporting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in conducting research to review domestic policies on the management and reduction of plastic pollution, and assess the integration of existing national policies with potential regulations to be built into the global agreement.

According to the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in 2021, it took an active part in activities and meetings within the UNEA framework. The agency and its counterparts from Germany, Ecuador and Ghana coordinated in holding the Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution in September 2021 to contribute to building the global agreement.

To date, a project on joining negotiations on the global agreement to be submitted to the Prime Minister has been completed.

Hoai suggested Vietnam soon co-submit the draft UNEA 5.2 Resolution, initiated by Peru, Rwanda and the EU on the establishment of an Inter-governmental Negotiation Committee, and send official confirmation notices to Peru, Rwanda and the EU to finalise the co-submission.