The 30th annual meeting of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Council takes place in Siem Reap, Cambodia. –Photo MRC

Canada, Germany to support Mekong countries to deal with challenges

Canada and Germany have announced they will contribute to the Mekong Fund to handle the growing challenges that development and changing climate pose to Southeast Asia’s largest waterway.
The two countries made the announcement at the 30th annual meeting of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Council held at Siem Reap in Cambodia recently. The meeting was attended by the leaders of the member countries – Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Canada announced it will contribute US$2 million to the MRC’s general pool of funding, according to an MRC report.
The MRC now has 13 development partners, with Canada as its latest partner for tackling the Mekong’s broader problems.
While developing the Mekong’s water resources has brought positive changes and economic prosperity, it has also had unexpected consequences for the environment and livelihoods of all those who depend on the river, according to the MRC.
“While MRC action aims to balance the pros and cons, another solution will soon come into existence. At the Council event, Germany pledged 15 million euros to fund the trial implementation of the Ecosystem Window of the eagerly anticipated Mekong Fund, a mechanism that should benefit those residents who are negatively impacted, whether directly or indirectly, by climate change and the development of Southeast Asia’s most important river,” the MRC said.
“The primary goal of the German commitment under the Ecosystem Window of the Mekong Fund trial is to establish a grant-making facility, fostering local community engagement in wetland and watershed biodiversity conservation and related livelihoods activities.”
The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and the Member of the MRC Council for Laos, Mrs Bounkham Vorachit, said the Lao government attaches great importance to climate change. The government develops national policies and initiatives and has mainstreamed climate change into the national socio-economic development plan in order to address the phenomenon.
“Laos has specifically revised the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), aiming at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050,” she said.
“I appreciate the strong support by our partners for the MRC Basin Development Strategy and policies for enhancing climate resilience in the Mekong River Basin. It is a further positive development for enhancing climate resilience in the region. By working together to implement these strategies, the countries of the Mekong River Basin can build a more sustainable and prosperous future for all,” she said.
The CEO of the MRC Secretariat, Dr Anoulak Kittikhoun, said: “In the midst of fundamental changes in the global system, we will ensure that the MRC serves as a platform for cooperation, not conflict – from our dialogue partners to our development and other partners.”
The development partners jointly issued a statement that stressed the vital need for MRC leadership to continue facilitating cooperation among member countries, dialogue and development partners, and other stakeholders, particularly for applying innovative tools and technologies to solve challenges in the Mekong region.
In addition, the development partners encouraged greater data sharing by all riverine actors, across the basin. They stated, “We welcome the objectives to develop new knowledge and answers to the challenges of changing flow regime, limits of environment assets, and water-energy integration.”

By Times​ Reporters
 (Latest Update November 30, 2023)