Mekong Heroes: Thailand

Niwat is the leader of the Chiang Khong Conservation Group. Born and raised on the banks of Mekong River in Chiang Rai, Thailand, Niwat’s life has been shaped by nature and the river. He has seen the highs and the lows of the river’s life on his front doorstep. His work raises critical questions about…

Mekong Heroes: Cambodia

Ma Sokhak is a Cambodian local teacher turned river protector who came into the public eye not long ago. The story of Ma Sokhak is one in a four-episode video series which follows different individuals from the Mekong region to share how they're improving their communities. Witnessing species disappear at an alarming pace in the…

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…

Investigating Sustainable Energy Development Opportunities

Did you know: Thailand used 60 TW of power just to run air conditioning in 2020—but stricter energy efficiency standards could reduce this consumption by 20 to 30 percent? Cambodia's hydropower production was curtailed by the Mekong drought in 2019-2020? Vietnam was a late starter in renewable energy, but feed-in tariffs helped install 9GW of…

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…

Secretary Blinken’s Participation in the Friends of the Mekong Ministers’ Meeting

Secretary Blinken’s Participation in the Friends of the Mekong Ministers’ Meeting - United States Department of State On August 5, Secretary Blinken chaired the tenth anniversary meeting of the Friends of the Mekong ministerial. The Secretary congratulated the group on its sustained support to the Mekong subregion and its commitment to transparency, good governance, and…

The Mekong-U.S. Partnership and the Friends of the Mekong: Proven Partners for the Mekong Region

The Mekong-U.S. Partnership and the Friends of the Mekong: Proven Partners for the Mekong Region - United States Department of State The countries of the Mekong sub-region and the United States reaffirmed their long-standing relationship at the second Mekong-U.S. Partnership (MUSP) ministerial on August 2, 2021. Through the MUSP, the U.S. government, working with Congress, continues…

Secretary Blinken’s Participation in the Mekong-U.S. Partnership Ministers’ Meeting

Secretary Blinken’s Participation in the Mekong-U.S. Partnership Ministers’ Meeting - United States Department of State The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: On August 2, Secretary Blinken co-hosted the second Mekong-U.S. Partnership ministerial.  The Secretary emphasized U.S. commitment to a resilient, secure, interconnected, and open Mekong sub-region and emphasized the region’s importance to the…

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.

Measuring What We Manage

Did you know that the US Government’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) makes its data available online for free? People can also make use of its data tools and data “recipes,” through its online tutorials for accessing and using data. Now, the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership (SIP) is working with NASA and other government agencies to…

Mekong Heroes: Vietnam

Meet Ngoc Tuyet, a first-generation engineering student at Can Tho University and a participant in USAID’s Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) Program. As a first-generation student and woman in a male-dominated field, Tuyet tells viewers about her motivation behind pursuing a STEM degree and discusses how her participation in EPICS has positively shaped her life and professional aspirations. Subtitled versions available for Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand.

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.