Remarks at the Seventh Lower Mekong Initiative Ministerial Meeting

John KerrySecretary of StateMyanmar International Conference CenterNaypyitaw, MyanmarThank you very much, Mr. Minister, and again, we all thank you for your hospitality in convening us here and for your leadership. And we particularly are grateful for the efforts of your meeting through ASEAN as well as your efforts with the Lower Mekong Initiative. I also…

NEWS: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to Participate in LMI Ministerial Meeting

Washington: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Myanmar and Australia this week.In Myanmar, he would participate in a series of meetings with ASEAN leaders, in Australia, he along with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, will participate in the US-Australia Consultations.On August 9, Kerry will arrive in Naypyitaw to meet Burmese government leaders and…

Press Statement: Secretary of State John Kerry’s Travel to Burma, Australia, Solomon Islands, and Hawaii

Jen PsakiDepartment SpokespersonWashington, DCAugust 2, 2014Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Naypyitaw, Burma; Sydney, Australia; Honiara, Solomon Islands; and Honolulu, Hawaii August 8-13, 2014.On August 9, Secretary Kerry will arrive in Naypyitaw to meet Burmese government leaders and to attend the U.S.-ASEAN, Lower Mekong Initiative, Friends of the Lower Mekong Initiative, ASEAN Regional…

Training Video Explains Gender Equity in the Context of Forests and Climate Change

The USAID-funded programs Grassroots Equity and Enhanced Networks in Mekong (GREEN Mekong) and Lowering Emissions in Asia's Forests (USAID LEAF) have collaborated to produce a training video on gender equity.The video compliments training programs that target climate change and community forestry practitioners; it emphasizes gender equity as a key element for sustainable climate change initiatives…

Training Manual Launched to Improve Social Equity in Forests and Climate Change Context

The USAID-funded Grassroots Equity and Enhanced Networks in the Mekong (GREEN Mekong) program recently completed a seminal training publication entitled “Improving grassroots equity in the forests and climate change context”.The manual aims to develop the knowledge and capacities of grassroots facilitators to conduct meaningful participatory processes that can improve social equity and inclusion in forest-based…

Ambassador Kristie Kenney and Fin Free Thailand Promote Shark Conservation

On July 16, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Kristie A. Kenney joined USAID-supported Fin Free Thailand at the Rayong Aquarium Eastern Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center to promote shark and ocean conservation.  The event is part of Fin Free Thailand's efforts to reduce consumer demand for shark fin in order to protect endangered sharks and…

Regional Model for Low Emission Provincial Planning Nears Completion

25 key experts met on July 14 in Da Lat, Vietnam to integrate technical and policy components of the Lam Dong Provincial REDD+ Action Plan (PRAP), which aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the province’s forest estate by 27% by 2020.The plan has been developed through two years of close collaboration among stakeholders…

Laos Farmers Return Home with Hands-on Field Experience in Forest Restoration

A three-day regional training on forest restoration, held July 8 – 10 by the USAID-funded Lowering Emission’s in Asia’s Forests (USAID LEAF) Program in collaboration with the Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) at Chiang Mai University, Thailand, concluded with hands-on experience for 13 Laos farmers and forest officers from Houaphanh and Attapeu Provinces.The farmers and…

Google Joins Mekong Partnership for the Environment to Harness Big Data

If you Google “big data” you may soon find Mekong Partnership for the Environment among the search results.  On June 19, 2014, the tech giant agreed to partner with the USAID-funded project to support the next Mekong ICT ‘Bootcamp’.The Bootcamp will bring together up to 80 tech and data experts, journalists and civil society organizations…

Climate Resilience Action Plan for Hue City Approved

At a ceremony on June 27, 2014, the People’s Provincial Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province gave final approval for the Climate Resilience Action Plan for Hue City.  The Action Plan was developed under USAID's Mekong – Building Climate Resilience in Asian Cities (M-BRACE) program, which is implemented by the Institute for Social and Environmental…

Vietnam Educators and Partners Engage on Climate Change Curriculum

The USAID Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (USAID LEAF) program advanced development of its Climate Change Curriculum in Vietnam with open seminars at universities in Hanoi on June 19 and 20 and Da Lat on June 25 and 26.The seminars reached over 120 educators at Hanoi’s Vietnam Forestry University and Da Lat University with information…

NEWS: Results of the Lower Mekong Initiative and the Friends of Lower Mekong Senior Officials’ Meeting

As head of the Thai delegation, the Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs, Mr. Arthayuth Srisamoot, has attended the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) and the Friends of the Lower Mekong (FLM) Senior Officials’ Meetings.These two events took place in Yangon, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, on 8 June 2014.Founded in 2009, the…