Mekong - U.S. Partnership
Remarks by Ambassador Clune at Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group
Landmark Hotel, VientianeVice Minister Bounkeut, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, and Ladies and Gentlemen:As you know, the Lower Mekong Initiative as created as a result of a meeting in 2009 between Secretary of State Clinton and the Foreign Ministers of the Lower Mekong countries as a vehicle for cooperation in facing shared challenges and opportunities in the…
The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Hosted the 6th Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group Meeting
The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic hosted over 90 delegates from Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, the United States and the ASEAN Secretariat on March 20-21, 2014 for the 6th Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group Meeting.During the opening session, Vice Foreign Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak and United States Ambassador Daniel Clune discussed the…
Fin Free Thailand Campaign Hits the Beach to Reduce Consumption of Shark Fin
On January 18, Fin Free Thailand hosted a Shark Conservation Awareness event on Koh Chang, Thailand’s 2nd largest island. Nearly one year since the USAID-funded Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking project supported the launch of Fin Free Thailand, the consumption reduction campaign continues to gain strength with nearly 100 prominent hotels and restaurants…
Strengthening Capacity for Future Climate Change Leaders in the Region
From January 20 to 24, the USAID-funded Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests project convened 32 professors from 10 Southeast Asian universities and two U.S. universities in Bangkok to build capacity for climate change curriculum development.Developed collaboratively by the project, the U.S. Forest Service, and its university partners, the training modules on basic climate change and…
Engaging Thai Youth in Protecting Threatened Ecosystems
From January 15 to 17, the USAID-funded Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests project, in collaboration with the Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, organized a youth training camp on water quality and river ecosystem monitoring. More than 30 children from five schools in the Mae Sa Catchment area, part of the Mae…
Local Government and Stakeholders in Vietnam Work Together for Climate Resilience
Under USAID's Mekong–Building Climate Resilience in Asian Cities project, city partners in Hue, Vietnam began a shared planning process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to develop decision support tools to improve flood management.Vulnerability assessments previously conducted by local government partners as part of the project identified the linkages between flooding and urban…
Asian Youth Tackle Environmental Issues
They came from all over Southeast Asia and met on the beach. And cleaned it. Without pay. That’s not all. They had to compete for the opportunity.“You need to step outside your comfort zone and make a difference,” said Thai volunteer Rungtip Junlah when asked why she joined in. “Volunteering is another way you can…
The United States and ASEAN Officially Launch New Cooperation Programs
On December 6, 2013, the United States celebrated 36 years of partnership with ASEAN with the launch of two new assistance programs. The U.S. Agency of International Development and the U.S. Department of State, in cooperation with other U.S. Government agencies, launched two new five-year programs based at the ASEAN Secretariat. Carrie Thompson, Deputy Mission…
ASEAN Youth Volunteer Experiences Aired in All Home Countries Media
The inaugural program for “The Development of ASEAN Youth Eco-Leaders through Volunteerism and Community Engagement” concluded successfully. The program, funded by USAID in partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat, the Malaysia Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, aimed at strengthening youth leadership skills in environmental conservation across the ASEAN region. A pilot group…
Shared Vision Planning Helps Build Urban Resilience in Thailand
Shared vision planning is a decision-making process that uses scenario-planning tool and models to assess different options for building urban resilience to climate change. From October 2-4, USAID’s Mekong-Building Climate Resilient Asian Cities (M-BRACE) program, in collaboration with ISET-International and the Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), hosted a shared vision planning workshop in Udon Thani, Thailand…
U.S. and Thailand Plan Cooperative Activities under Global Climate Program
On October 10, more than 30 officials from 10 Thailand government agencies met with counterparts from seven U.S. Government agencies and programs under the Enhancing Capacity for Low Emission Development Strategies (EC-LEDS) initiative. EC-LEDS is a global U.S. Government program that supports the efforts of more than 20 partner countries to accelerate sustainable, climate-resilient economic…
Poachers Beware! Elite Wildlife Ranger Team Graduates
On October 16, Thailand’s new elite wildlife ranger team, the “King of Tigers,” graduated from the groundbreaking 8-week intensive tactical training course to combat crimes against nature. The graduates are now tasked with enforcing Thailand’s laws pertaining to environmental crime including poaching, wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, and illegal fishing.The King of Tigers is Thailand’s first…
