The event will take placein the context of high population pressure and increasing demand fordevelopment in the Mekong River Basin, including hydropower projects inthe river’s main stream and branches, irrigation projects, fishingactivities and waterway transport.
The summit willcontinue to represent the will and political commitment of MRC membercountries’ leaders to enhance regional affiliation in overcoming allchallenges towards the sustainable development of the basin.
Themed “Cooperation for Water, Energy and Food Security inTransboundary Basins under a Changing Climate”, the meeting aims toinspire the highest commitment of member states to regional cooperationin the area.
It will also define priorityareas for the MRC in the immediate future, especially in ensuring water,energy and food security and lessening the impacts of climate change.
The MRC was set up in Chieng Rai ,Thailand on April 5, 1995 with four member countries, namely Laos ,Cambodia , Thailand and Vietnam . Its main objective is to fostercooperation among member states in using, developing and protectingwater and other related resources in a sustainable manner, for theircommon interests and the welfare of people in the basin.
Right after the MRC’s establishment, member countries signed theAgreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the MekongRiver Basin (1995 Mekong Agreement), highlighting a basic principle incooperation among them of consensus, equality and respect forterritorial sovereignty.
The agreement is animportant legal framework for Vietnam to protect its interests in theCuu Long (Mekong Delta) and Tay Nguyen ( Central Highlands ) regions.
The country has seriously followed the MekongAgreement, actively participated in addressing contradictions within theMRC, and greatly contributed to the commission’s programmes.
Over the past 19 years, the MRC has recorded many achievements inpromoting basin cooperation, including the building of regulations onwater use, environmental management and waterway connection. It has alsoexpanded relations with partners in and out of the region such asChina and Myanmar .
The first MRC Summit in HuaHin, Thailand on April 5, 2010 adopted the Hua Hin Statement, whichreviewed 15 years of Mekong cooperation, highlighted challenges andopportunities for the basin, and affirmed the MRC vision and necessaryactions to reach it.-VNA