The Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the Mississippi River Commission discussed cooperation plans on water resource matters during their meeting in Vientiane, Laos, on July 29.

The meeting was initiated by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton who visited Phuket to meet Foreign Ministers of Mekong sub-region countries for the first time on the sidelines of the 42 nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.

The meeting is to encourage wider cooperation between the Governments of the US and the four Mekong sub-region countries - Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand -on environment, health and education.

According to MRC, the two river commissions will focus on technical and specialised cooperation so as to adapt to climate change, which is affecting Mekong river system.

They have also committed to boosting sustainable hydropower development, ensuring water resource and food security, better managing floods and draught and developing the river’s water transport system.

CEO of the MRC Secretariat Jeremy Bird said the two commissions will try to manage water resources in a sustainable way and cope with challenges caused by climate change.

They reviewed a draft cooperation agreement, which proposes an action plan to intensify joint efforts on issues of mutual concern./.