PRESS RELEASE

December 4, 2006

United States of America Continues to Support Environmental Initiatives in Vietnam

HANOI, VIETNAM (December 4, 2006) – Environmental agency leaders from across Asia nations will convene to promote rule of law and the environment at the 2006 Regional Forum of the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN) on December 4-5, in Hanoi, Vietnam, co funded by the United States Government and the Asian Development Bank.  As part of the meeting, Asian governmental leaders will share best practices and strategies for strengthening compliance with environmental legal requirements through regional cooperation. 

Governmental leaders from nine countries will discuss progress on the impacts of pilot projects and best practices that demonstrate innovative strategies for enforcing environmental laws.  Justice Vijender Jain, Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court in India, will present remarks at the meeting, highlighting the leadership shown by his and other Indian courts in upholding environmental laws through public interest litigation.  

According to Mr. Michael W. Marine, United States Ambassador to Vietnam, “implementing and enforcing environmental laws is a complex enterprise that depends on mutual cooperation and exchange between agencies, legislators and citizens within a country, but also between these various counterparts from different countries.  International exchange on development priorities can lead to real breakthroughs in new policies and practice.”

Forum participants include over 100 senior environmental officials, policymakers, judges, lawyers, and other experts from related government agencies and international organizations from the People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The United States Agency for International Development, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the Asian Development Bank provide funding and technical support to AECEN.

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