MoTC Union minister joins 2nd Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation Forum

The of the launch China-led 2nd Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation Forum was conducted via videoconferencing on 7 and 8 December.
The opening ceremony was organized yesterday and Union minister for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San joined the ceremony together with more than 500 representatives, including ministers, superior officials and researchers of respective member countries, organizations, UN and other international institutions.
At the event, the Ministers of member countries and UN’s Under-Secretary-General Mr Liu Zhenmin respectively made opening speeches.
Then, the Union minister said that the forum is a chance to discuss the promising water resource cooperation works and to share the experience and knowledge among the Mekong-Lancang region countries. Although Myanmar is rich in water resources, it faces the impacts of climate changes later. The additional challenges such as sedimentation, scarcity of drinking water and falling of water quality occur all over the world. Therefore, the attendees of member countries should discuss such challenges to address.
He then talked about the important role of water resource management for the daily life of citizens as Myanmar is an agricultural country, active participation not only in regional water resource cooperation but also in international cooperation, hosting of the 3rd Asia-Pacific Water Summit in December 2017, the issuance of Yangon Declaration, the current project to install rainfalls monitoring equipment to support flood warning system using the Mekong-Lancang special fund and water resource cooperation between China with MoU signed in 2019.
The Union minister also added that the outcomes of the current forum will provide the implementation of a five-year plan of Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation and sustainable development of regional water resources. He then expressed words of thanks to China for supporting Myanmar regarding water resource management and anti-COVID-19 equipment.
The Mekong-Lancang cooperation was initiated during the 17th ASEAN-China Summit hosted by Myanmar in 2014. According to water resource cooperation procedures out of five cooperation areas of the Sanya Declaration released at the 1st Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting held in March 2016, the 1st Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation Forum was organized in Kunming of China in November 2018, and the second forum is held online this year.
The forum will discuss enhancement of cross-border cooperation and exchange of information, discussion on Mekong-Lancang water resource cooperation of young people, water resource conservation and green growth, multisectoral approach to water resources management and climate change, water consternation and promoting of living standards in rural areas, sustainable hydropower and adequate power. — MNA