25th Mekong River Commission Dialogue Partners Meeting held

The 25th Dialogue Partners Meeting of Mekong River Commission was hosted by Laos on 17 September.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of the Commission’s Secretary-General office and the delegations of member countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam, including from dialogue countries of China and Myanmar.
During the meeting, Laos, as Chair talked about China and Myanmar which became MRC’s dialogue partners since 1996, had bilateral meetings, and urged to discuss Mekong River water resource management and future work plans with member countries and partner countries.
Then, the representative of MRC discussed the cooperation with the commission and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation in line with the MoU, sharing information on the Lancang-Mekong River water resources, workshops and researches conducted by MRC, training for young professionals, the establishment of metrological and hydrological monitoring stations in Mekong Delta to better monitor and forecast the floods and droughts, collaboration works at Xieng Kok station between the border areas of Myanmar and Laos, sharing of measurements and drafting of Proactive Regional Planning along the Mekong River.
Then, the Chinese representative presented the meteorological and hydrological studies of the Lancang River Basin and expressed willingness to cooperate with MRC and Myanmar.
The Myanmar representative also discussed the important role of Mekong Basin in the development of the economy and social status of the country, environmental challenges of Mekong, sustainable and proportionate projects of Myanmar, National Environmental Policy, Myanmar Climate Change Strategy and National Water Policy and strategic environmental assessment conducted to develop hydropower projects in other rivers including Mekong River. He also added that the regional cooperation of six countries in the Mekong River Basin plays a key role in effective water resources and environmental administration. The country will build meteorological and hydrological monitoring stations with the cash assistance of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Centre. After completion, the metrological and hydrological related information will be shared. He finally discussed the need for further cooperation in capacity building and technology. — MNA