King of Tigers Training Leads to Capture of Rosewood Poacher

On October 31, 2013, the recently graduated King of Tigers ranger team arrested a Cambodian rosewood poacher in Thailand’s Pang Sida National Park in eastern Thailand near the Cambodian border.The high value of Siamese Rosewood, fueled by demand from China, has seen a sharp increase in the number of poachers and the consequent number of…

Annual Operational Plan workshop in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia

The Cambodian National Malaria Control Program, Provincial-Districts teams, and stakeholders organized a workshop, November 07, 2013, in Ratanakiri province drafting a comprehensive annual operational plan (AOP-2014).  Thirty-three participants from National Malaria Control Program and Provincial Health Departments, operational districts,hospital andselected health centers of Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri and SteungTrengwere invited and actively participated in the workshop.  In…

NEWS: Lower Mekong Initiative Group Meets in Cambodia

Action programmes to deploy the U.S.’s 50 million USD support package pledged to Lower Mekong countries was discussed at the fifth meeting of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Regional Working Group in Cambodia on November 6-7. Addressing the meeting, US Ambassador to ASEAN David Carden stressed that the Mekong River is a valuable natural resource for…

NEWS: The 5th Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group Meeting

The 5th Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group Meeting has opened in Siem Reap to define implementation steps following the U.S. commitment of 50 million dollars of infrastructure and food security aids to the region. Five Lower Mekong countries including Vietnam will benefit from the 2-year program.  Speaking at the event, U.S. Ambassador David Carden hailed…

Cambodia Hosts Lower Mekong Initiative Meeting to Build Sustainable Regional Cooperation

The Royal Government of Cambodia hosted over 80 delegates from Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States in Siem Reap on November 6-7, 2013 for the 5th Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group Meeting.  Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam…

Lower Mekong Initiative Fifth Regional Working Group Meeting Co-chairs’ Statement

The Royal Government of Cambodia hosted over 90 delegates from Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and the United States in Siem Reap on November 6-7, 2013 for the 5th Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group Meeting.  The Lower Mekong Initiative is a multinational forum for addressing trans-boundary policy and development challenges in the pillar…

LMI Monthly News Feed – October 2013

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New Elite Team Promotes Institutionalizing of Anti-Wildlife Trafficking Course

From October 24 - November 1, members of the new “King of Tigers” elite ranger team assisted with the instruction of a PROTECT Tactics course in Thailand’s Eastern Forest Complex, a regional hot spot for wildlife crime.The USAID-funded ARREST program (Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking), coordinated the course with Thailand’s Department of National…

Measuring Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Vietnam

From October 28 - November 1, the USAID-funded Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (LEAF) program held a technical training on forest carbon stratification and estimating historical emissions in Da Lat, Vietnam. The hands-on training allowed 27 Vietnamese geospatial analysts and foresters to develop a preliminary reference level for Lam Dong Province to be approved by the…

USAID Supports the United Nations’ Campaign for Resilient Cities

The United Nations' Making Cities Resilient Campaign involves over 1,550 cities in over 94 countries committed to incorporating “resilience” into city management practices.  In Bangkok on October 29-31, the USAID-funded Mekong Building Climate Resilience in Asian Cities (M-BRACE) program participated in the Campaign’s steering committee meeting, co-hosted by the UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction…

Triple Bottom Line Training Helps Lower Mekong Countries Assess Value of Protected Areas

“Triple bottom line” valuation is an approach used to assess the full value of protected natural resource areas, like national parks, accounting for the economic, social, and environmental benefits they provide to society.  As a result, policymakers, park managers, and other stakeholders are better equipped to capture the full value provided by protected areas, including…

USAID Plans to Help Myanmar’s Economic Development

USAID/RDMA has continued to support rapid engagement with USAID-Myanmar in support of Myanmar’s efforts to continue its economic reforms, particularly relating to strengthening the rule of law, and increasing transparency. From September 25 to October 3, consultants from the ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) project met with officials from USAID, GIZ, the Asia…