The Mekong River cooperation has seen many favourable factors in the2011-2012 period, according to a conference held by the VietnamNational Mekong Committee (VNMC) in Ho Chi Minh City on April 27.
According to the VNMC, 2011-2012 is the first period to realise theJoint Declaration of the first Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summitheld in Hua Hin on April 5, 2010. This was also the beginning of the2011-2015 Strategic Plan.
With the leading role ofthe MRC, Vietnam has had opportunities to put forth initiatives andincrease its contributions on the hot issues of Mekong cooperation.
In this period, foreign relations in the river basin have beencontinuously consolidated and expanded, especially in the regionalcooperation frameworks of ASEAN, Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS),Mekong-Japan and Mekong-US.
In addition, the worldaid community and organisations such as the World Bank and the AsianDevelopment Bank have supported development assistance, resourcemanagement and climate change adaptation activities through Mekongcooperation.
However, this cooperation has alsofaced many great challenges, especially the rapidly increasing use ofwater resources in the basin and the construction of hydropower plantson the river.
In 2013, the VNMC will strive tofulfil its role as Chairman of the MRC Joint Committee for the 2011-2012tenure and attend a Mekong forum in May 2012 and the 19 th session ofthe MRC Council to be held in Laos later this year.
The committee will also strengthen cooperation with upstreamcountries in implementing the MRC study on the impacts of hydropowerplants on the main stream of the Mekong River.-VNA
According to the VNMC, 2011-2012 is the first period to realise theJoint Declaration of the first Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summitheld in Hua Hin on April 5, 2010. This was also the beginning of the2011-2015 Strategic Plan.
With the leading role ofthe MRC, Vietnam has had opportunities to put forth initiatives andincrease its contributions on the hot issues of Mekong cooperation.
In this period, foreign relations in the river basin have beencontinuously consolidated and expanded, especially in the regionalcooperation frameworks of ASEAN, Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS),Mekong-Japan and Mekong-US.
In addition, the worldaid community and organisations such as the World Bank and the AsianDevelopment Bank have supported development assistance, resourcemanagement and climate change adaptation activities through Mekongcooperation.
However, this cooperation has alsofaced many great challenges, especially the rapidly increasing use ofwater resources in the basin and the construction of hydropower plantson the river.
In 2013, the VNMC will strive tofulfil its role as Chairman of the MRC Joint Committee for the 2011-2012tenure and attend a Mekong forum in May 2012 and the 19 th session ofthe MRC Council to be held in Laos later this year.
The committee will also strengthen cooperation with upstreamcountries in implementing the MRC study on the impacts of hydropowerplants on the main stream of the Mekong River.-VNA
