Siem Reap (FN), April 2 - The Secretariat of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) organized the 3rd MRC Summit International Conference on April 2 and 3, 2018 in Siem Reap province under the theme “Enhancing the Joint Efforts and Partnerships towards the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Mekong River Basin - One Mekong, One Spirit”.

The two-day conferences will focus on key topics, including opportunities and challenges of Basin Development Strategy, regional interests and mitigation improvement, climate change, floods and droughts management, the importance of the information and data systems of River Basin, the examination and management of projects in Mekong River and other basins, the strengthening of Mekong cooperation and partnership, and action plans for diversification of water and energy.

“Our vision is to ensure Mekong River will economically prosper with social justice and good environment, which can be achieved by promoting a collaborative effort of participation and partnership of all stakeholders in order to maximize opportunities and address the challenges,” said Lim Kean Hor, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology and Chairman of the Cambodian National Mekong Committee.

The conference was attended by more than 400 officials from Mekong countries, MRC Secretariat, development partners, financial institutions, regional and international development organizations, river basin organizations, Research Institutes, NGOs, Private Sector and other stakeholders.

The 3rd MRC Summit is held every four years, which has already been hosted twice, first in Thailand in 2010, with the theme “Meeting the Needs, Keeping the Balance”, and the 2nd Summit in Vietnam in 2014, with the theme “Water-Food-Energy Nexus”, and the 3rd Summit will be held in April 5, Siem Reap, Cambodia, according Lim Kean Hor.

The minister added that prior to the Summit, we always have an international conference with two important purposes: (1) exchange experience and vision on the management and development of cross-boundary water in regional and global framework; (2) provide key messages on new ideas for the sustainable management and development to the summit.

The first MRC Summit International Conference was held in 2010 with the theme “Transboundary Water Resources Management in a Changing World” and in 2014 “Cooperation for Water, Energy and Food Security in Trans boundary Basins under Changing Climate”.
=FRESH NEWS

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