The Hin Nam No National Protected Area is on its way to become Laos’ first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Earlier this January in Hanoi, the Lao and
Vietnamese governments signed a MOU, ensuring Vietnam’s full support of
the nomination of Hin Nam No National Protected Area as a transboundary
World Heritage Site together with the already established natural UNESCO
World Heritage Site known as Phong Nga Ke Bang (PNKB) National Park in
Quang Binh, Vietnam. The latter shares a common border with Hin Nam No
National Protected Area in Khammouane, Laos.
High ranking officials including Vice Minister of
Information, Tourism and Culture Buagneun Saphouvong, Vice Minister of
Energy and Mines Thongphat Inthavong, and Khammouane Province Deputy
Governor Khamsy Outhivong met with representatives from the respective
government agencies to review and endorse the way forward.
“With Hin Nam No’s huge potential for eco-tourism,
it [World Heritage status for UNESCO] will make an important
contribution to national socio-economic development, especially for
Khammouane people,” said Saphouvong.
“Becoming a World Heritage Site will also enhance
the protection of the area, improve conservation and will facilitate
better management of the natural resources in and around Hin Nam No,
promote ecotourism and scientific research,” he added.
Hin Nam No NPA has been recognized as a site of global significance
for the conservation of biodiversity because its variety of habitat and
forest types provided by the landscape geomorphology support a high
diversity of animals and plants, including a number of globally
threatened species, endemic species and karst specialist species. Thus,
the elevated UNESCO status will contribute substantially to the
conservation of this unique ecosystem.
.
.
Deputy Governor Outhivong expressed that “Hin Nam
No will attract both local and international tourists and thereby will
generate incomes for local communities once it is nominated as a World
Heritage Site. More importantly, it will also create opportunities to
boost the livelihoods of the local communities who live around the
area. By this means, they are also able to ensure their food security and alternative income generation.”
Under the newly signed MoU between Laos and
Vietnam, a number of points have been agreed for which both countries
commit to support the nomination of Hin Nam No National Protected area
as a transboundary World Heritage Site, connected to Phong Nga Ke Bang
National Park in Vietnam.
The two countries will also work together to appoint their own committees at different levels to help and push for the nomination of Hin Nam No National Protected Area.
.
Hin Nam No Protected Area
Source - Read more Laotian Times
The two countries will also work together to appoint their own committees at different levels to help and push for the nomination of Hin Nam No National Protected Area.
.
Source - Read more Laotian Times
