The summit in Laos will ratify the Charter for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River

This is the expectation generated by the meeting, which has been held every four years since 1995 and will be attended by the heads of government of the founders of the agreement: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, and the leaders of the dialogue partners (China and Myanmar). It is from international agencies and the donor community.

The difficulties, challenges and development opportunities that are presented to the Mekong River, according to research results and updated trends in water resource management, will be at the heart of the discussions, from which strategic directions for action should emerge. Committee (MRC).

It is also expected that at the end of the meeting at the highest level, a joint declaration will be issued, the draft of which was discussed the day before the ministerial meeting.

Prior to the meeting at the ministerial level, an international conference was held here, at which MRC Executive Director Anulak Ketikhon warned that in order to ensure the sustainable development of the Mekong River, more effective cooperation and urgent action is required.

Anolac noted that the challenges facing the Mekong River are manifold, with climate change exacerbating floods and droughts, noting that there are other worrying trends in areas including water flow regime, nutrient sediment and plastic pollution.

According to experts’ estimates, the Mekong River dumps the tenth largest amount of plastic waste into the world’s oceans, amounting to 101 tons per day. Compare “This is the size of a giant whale”.

Anolak also alluded to the prevalence of microplastics in the water, which is harmful because fish can ingest them, thereby polluting the human food chain.

We call on riparian countries, partners and stakeholders to act. He stressed that how we choose to act and how our friends inside and also outside the region do will determine the fate of the Mekong and all of us.

The Mekong River Commission was set up by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in 1995, replacing the Mekong River Commission established in 1956 under the auspices of the United Nations.

Considered the region’s breadbasket, the Mekong Delta is one of the most vulnerable to extreme events such as prolonged drought, land salinization, coastal erosion and land subsidence, all of which threaten livelihoods and tens of millions of people live in the region.

This massive river of 4,800 km in length crosses China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam and its basin extends over 795,000 square km, an area with an estimated population of 65 million from the latter four countries.

ode/mpm