Downstream countries discuss sustainable Mekong development

Vientiane Times, 3 March 2010

Senior officials from the four Mekong River Commission (MRC) member
states are meeting in Luang Prabang province to discuss sustainable
development of the Mekong River and increased co-operation with
dialogue partners and stakeholders.

The MRC's Joint Committee yesterday opened its two-day 31st meeting.
The committee is made up of senior officials from the MRC member
states of Cambodia , Laos , Thailand and Vietnam .

In her statement, Member of the MRC Joint Committee for Laos and
Chairperson of the MRC Joint Committee for 2009-2010, Ms Monemany
Nhoybouakong, said “Our meeting today is requested to make several
decisions and to discuss matters central to the development of Mekong
water and related resources.”

Luang Prabang province Deputy Governor Dr Khampheng Saysompheng
delivered the welcoming remarks to members of the Joint Committee,
dialogue partner Myanmar , observers, National Mekong Committee
Secretariats and the staff of the MRC Secretariat to the Meeting.

Today the committee will discuss increased regional cooperation with
representatives from Myanmar .

“Cooperation is not confined to the four signatory member countries,
as it extends to our dialogue partners, China and Myanmar ,” Ms
Monemany said.

Over the recent years, MRC cooperation with its upstream neighbours,
China and Myanmar , has strengthened. It has more exchanges of experts
and visits, hydrological real-time information sharing, and engagement
in the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the proposed mainstream
dams, she said.

Additionally, participants will discuss stakeholder engagement at the
MRC governance level and stakeholder engagement in trans-boundary
water resources management.

The meeting heard a report on progress since the 30th Joint Committee
Meeting held in July last year in Vientiane and the improvement of
coordination among programmes.

Officials are hoping to present progress on numerous reports including
on hydrological conditions in the Lower Mekong Basin , climate change,
and the strategic environmental assessment of the proposed hydropower
development on the mainstream.

“These progress reports will provide us with the overall picture of
current development trends in the Mekong Basin and the pressing issues
facing it. We hope to see how the MRC as a regional, technical and
knowledge-based international river organisation, together with the
backing from dialogue partners, development partners and other
stakeholders, prepares and responds to the trends and issues,” Ms
Monemany said.

The MRC has witnessed continued cooperation from development partners
over the last few years.

Since the last Joint Committee Meeting, funding agreements were signed
for a total of over US$17 million. There was increasing support from
across the region and beyond. The MRC is about to enter into an
agreement with Asean on assisting four countries including Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam in implementing the Asean Strategic Plan of
Action on Water Resources Management.

Other areas of cooperation with Asean include disaster response,
assessment of climate change impact on biodiversity, and the
management of environmental pollution.

Besides Asean, the MRC will cooperate with the Mississippi River
Commission on flood management, navigation, ecosystems and other key
areas.