Havana, Jul 10 (Prensa Latina) Vietnamese official Nguyen Thai Lai defended the importance of establishing a joint debate on environment and development during his speech at the 10th Convention on the subject, to be concluded today in this capital.

Lai, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam, stated that the international community is in this time engaged in the analysis and summary of the results obtained in implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), drawn up to this year.

Seen from the development perspective, our country has achieved impressive progress in the implementation of the MDGs; among eight goals, Vietnam has achieved its greatest progress in the first, in other words that related to poverty reduction, he said.

About the MDG number seven, regarding the conservation of environment, the official said that although positive results have been obtained, the Asian country is currently experiencing not few challenges.

Our biggest internal obstacle is related to the negative environmental impacts caused by the accelerated socioeconomic growth process the country has experienced in recent years, the deputy minister said.

Lai recognized that the urbanization, industrialization and modernization processes the country is carrying out have caused serious situations with regard to treatment of solid waste, waste waters, and air pollution.

He also mentioned the areas of water resources management and protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, internal aspects joined to others related to the global impact of climate change.

Vietnam is one of the countries geographically located in the region where the affluent of two international rivers such as Red and Mekong Rivers end.

About the Havana's Convention, he said he is convinced that this is a good opportunity to foster cooperation among nations, and to exchange experiences in order to respond to the urgent and necessary demand to establish a new vision for development.

The 10th International Convention on Environment and Development ends today after five working days, in which panels led by about 1,000 delegates from 60 countries were conducted.