Mekong - U.S. Partnership
U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program (TCTP) (2012-Present)
The U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program (TCTP) is a partnership between the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State which jointly conducts capacity building course for Southeast Asian countries, in particular those in the Mekong region. TCTP supports ASEAN community-building efforts through its workshops and training seminars in developmental focused areas.
Sister Rivers Exchange (2010-Present)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leads the Sister Rivers Exchange program to promote the sharing of experiences between the Mississippi River Commission and the Mekong River Commission through with the aim of increasing regional stability and prosperity.
Mekong Water Data Initiative (MWDI) (2018-Present)
MWDI, launched in 2017, is a cooperative effort to manage and share water-related data to improve resource management of the Mekong River basin. MWDI enables officials to make informed choices about water resources management. The United States has worked closely with LMI countries, the Mekong River Commission (MRC), members of the Friends of the Lower Mekong, and the private, academic, and non-profit sectors to design and launch MekongWater.org, a clearinghouse for data and tools that will empower and inform LMI countries on water security issues, such as drought and flood monitoring. The platform incentivizes peer-to-peer connections among regional researchers and the U.S. scientific community.
NexView (2019-Present)
NexView, a partnership among the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Arizona State University, bolsters (MRC) efforts to promote good governance and transboundary cooperation by providing multidisciplinary decision support.
Mekong-US Partnership Track 1.5 Policy Dialogues (2021-Present)
The Partnership Policy Dialogues are a series of six multi-day conferences that will take place from 2021 – 2023 to explore solutions to key policy and sustainability challenges facing the Lower Mekong. The conferences will explore themes that include connectivity, energy and infrastructure, non-traditional security, transboundary water governance, and nature-based solutions. Tying the conference experiences together are cross-cutting values of inclusivity, resilience (including climate), and collaboration.
Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP) (2019-Present)
U.S. technical assistance, in coordination with Japan, supports Mekong electricity regulatory and system development by working with national and regional market authorities on reliably integrating renewable energy, enhancing opportunities for regional power trade, and opportunities for private investment.
Connecting South and Southeast Asia through Improved East-West Linkages
This report, completed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and funded by the U.S. Department of State working together under the Mekong-U.S. Partnership, presents the preliminary findings of an initiative to promote and expand intra-regional and east-west connectivity between the Mekong countries and South Asia. It provides a framework for engaging with regional stakeholders to…
Keynote Address for the Mekong-U.S. Partnership Track 1.5 Dialogue on Infrastructure and Energy
EAP Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink’s Keynote Address for the Mekong-U.S. Partnership Track 1.5 Dialogue on Infrastructure and Energy Good morning and good evening, everyone. It is an honor to speak to so many distinguished guests, YSEALI participants, innovators, leaders, and policy makers from across the region. It is a region I am passionate about, having recently…
Joint Press Statement of the Friends of the Mekong “Recovery and Resilience”
Joint Press Statement of the Friends of the Mekong “Recovery and Resilience” - United States Department of State The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Governments and Members of the Friends of the Mekong Group on the occasion of the 2021 Friends of…
United States, South Korea, and Mekong River Commission Partnership Launches
Senior officials from the United States, Republic of Korea, and the Mekong River Commission (MRC) launched cooperation on July 20 on water data utilization and capacity building for the Mekong region. The partnership will see specialists and scientists from Korea Water Resources Corporation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and NASA provide at least six training events to professionals from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam on various decision-support system topics, including modelling, water data utilization and knowledge transfer.
Mekong Regional Seed Program Resumes
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in partnership with American Seed Trade and Asia and Pacific Seed Associations, held the Lower Mekong Regional Seed Workshop, June 8-10, 2021. The “Strengthening Sustainable Seed System for the Lower Mekong Countries” workshop was conducted by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) with technical expertise from USDA Agriculture Marketing Service. Over 70 high-ranking country representatives from the Public Seed Offices of, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia along with senior representatives from international seed organizations including OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), ISTA (International Seed Testing Association), and UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) participated. Key representatives provided updates on progress and challenges in seed trade in their countries focusing on capacities, and rules-and science-based policy environments with aim to foster cooperation and harmonization of seed policies among Lower Mekong Countries (LMCs), consistent with practices and approaches in the United States.
