4th MRC International Conference of Stakeholders opens in Vientiane
Vientiane (VNA) – The 4th Mekong River Commission (MRC) International Conference of Stakeholders was opened on April 2 in Vientiane, Laos with the theme
'Innovation and Cooperation for a Water Secure and Sustainable Mekong'.
Lao Minister of
Natural Resources and Environment Bounkham Vorachit, representatives of the MRC
and its commissions in four countries of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam,
together with more than 600 regional and global experts in fields of water and
related resources, energy, food, traffic, river basin management, and
governance attended the opening ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bounkham Vorachit said that Laos is fully committed to not only sustainable but also responsible development. The Lao government attaches great importance to supporting the cooperation with Mekong countries under the 1995 Mekong Agreement, affirming that the agreement helps Laos promote cooperation and sustainable and equitable development in the Mekong River basin.
She acknowledged
the important contributions of the dialogue partners, development partners, and
other partners inside and outside the region, emphasising that as the region is
undergoing changes and transformations rapidly, the parties need to work
together more closely through innovative technologies so that the region can
change the way to manage water resource, improve data and information sharing
as well as strengthen technology monitoring systems.
The Lao official
also encouraged participants to actively exchange views, insights, knowledge,
and data. According to Bounkham, the outcome of the international conference is
very important because it will be presented at the ministerial conference and
the MRC Summit in April 4-5.
During the
two-day conference, representatives of the parties and regional and global
experts will present and discuss the most up-to-date perceptions, and
innovative solutions around the problems of the Mekong River and other river
basins.
The MRC is an
intergovernmental organisation that works with the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam to manage the shared water and related resources of
the Mekong River for the sustainable development of the Mekong region. It was
founded by the Mekong Agreement of 1995, building on previous cooperation
through the Mekong Committee established in 1957./.