Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian delegates gathered in Hanoi on May 26 to seek ways for the sustainable development of hydropower projects on the mainstream of Mekong river, which runs through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Prof. Doc. Pham Hong Giang, President of the Vietnam National Committee on Large Dams and Water Resources Development said that at the first Mekong Summit last year, Prime Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam pledged cooperation to maximise the use of water resources and protect the great value of ecological balance on this river.

The delegates proposed solutions to help downstream countries attain sustainable development, including issues for the Mekong Delta in Vietnam that need to be studied.

They also spoke highly of Lao decision to halt the Xayaburi hydropower project on the Mekong river, saying it offers a chance for Lao and Vietnamese authorities to further research within the framework of the Mekong River Commission in order to establish firm scientific grounds for future decisions on hydropower projects on Mekong river’s mainstream./.