The Kien Giang province’s People’s Committee, said the official ceremony would take place after the issue is formally discussed at the 19th session of the International Co-ordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program in October.

The document of accession will be signed by Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO director-general.

The 1.1 million hectare Kien Giang biosphere reserve consists of three core areas: U Minh Thuong National Park, Phu Quoc National Park, and Kien Luong – Kien Hai protected coastal forest.

It has a varied ecology comprising tropical rain forests, melaleuca forests, salt-marsh forests, submerged forests, savanna, coral reefs, and seagrass.

It is also home to some endangered species listed like the dugong (Dugong dugon), red headed crane (Grus vipio) , and hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana).

Source: Vietnam News Agency - Translated by PTTV