Mekong - U.S. Partnership
United States and Vietnam Convene 17 Friends of the Mekong in Support of a Secure, Prosperous, and Open Mekong Region
On January 12, the United States and Vietnam co-hosted the first Friends of the Mekong Policy Dialogue under the new Mekong-U.S. Partnership. In his remarks, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Ambassador Atul Keshap emphasized that the United States is committed to a secure, open, and prosperous Mekong region, highlighting the importance of this region to ASEAN centrality and to the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The 17 participating countries and institutions under the Mekong-U.S. Partnership and the Friends of the Mekong offered recommendations on sustainable infrastructure development and connectivity; human resource development and building the foundations for a Mekong digital economy; sustainable water, natural resource management, and environmental protection; and COVID response and regional collaboration on health security.
Launch of the Mekong Dam Monitor (MDM)
Launched on December 15, 2020, the Mekong Dam Monitor (MDM) is the region's premier water monitoring tool. This monitor is open-source and freely available for users on the Mekong Water Data Initiative (MWDI) website - MekongWater.org. The Mekong Dam Monitor features virtual dam and reservoir gauges that use remote sensing, satellite imagery, and GIS analysis to provide weekly reports about environmental indicators in the Mekong Basin. The Stimson Center's Southeast Asia Program and Eyes on Earth, Inc. collaborative partnership developed the MDM with funding support from the Mekong-U.S. Partnership. This publicly available tool will significantly expand the water data available in the region, putting information into the hands of the people who need it the most so they can make informed decisions affecting livelihoods and regional security.
Message from our Ambassadors
Now more than ever, the United States sees the importance of a partnership with the Mekong Region. Perhaps the best example of that is the new Mekong-U.S. Partnership, which was launched in 2020 as a successor to the Lower Mekong Initiative. This partnership – with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the ASEAN Secretariat – aims to improve lives in the Mekong Region by spurring economic growth, improving natural resource management, and tackling transnational crime. “We are open to working with all partners who shared our principled, transparent approach,” said Melissa A. Brown, Head of the U.S. Mission to ASEAN. Watch this video to learn more:
Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace hosts Virtual Conference on Sustainable Development and the Future of the Mekong
The Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (CICP) organized a virtual conference on "Sustainable Development and the Future of the Mekong" on 26-27 October 2020. Organized in response to the shifting geopolitical dynamics that pose new challenges such as the growth of debt dependency, disproportionate control of upstream dams, and the erosion of existing river governance, the conference featured four panels examining the future of the Mekong River and the environmental and sustainable development challenges confronting the region.
Indo-Pacific Conference on Strengthening Transboundary Rivers Governance
The United States Department of State, in partnership with the East-West Center, will host a virtual Indo-Pacific Conference on Strengthening Transboundary Rivers Governance on October 15-16. The invitation-only conference brings together practitioners, experts, and national and civil society representatives to focus on Enhancing Transparency, Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement. This event includes sessions on "Transparency and Partnerships in Transboundary River Governance," "Negotiating Transboundary River Governance," "Stakeholder Engagement in Transboundary River Governance," and "Next Steps for Strengthening Governance of Transboundary Rivers." Assistant Secretary David Stilwell and U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Michael DeSombre will give opening and closing remarks, respectively.
Mekong-U.S. Partnership at a glance
The Mekong-U.S. Partnership expands cooperation between the United States and the countries of the Mekong region.
Mekong-U.S. Partnership Joint Statement
The United States and Mekong Partner countries released a Joint Statement on the launch of the Mekong-U.S. Partnership.
Japan-U.S. Joint Statement on Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP)
The United States and Japan released a Joint Statement on the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP). This statement affirms the commitment promoting regional energy integration and market development and accelerate Mekong sub-regional infrastructure connectivity. It also highlights projects supported by JUMPP over the last year.
MUSP Quality Infrastructure Training Program – Energy Series
The MUSP Quality Infrastructure Training Series helps improve the capacity of MUSP governments to attract private investment for infrastructure solutions. MUSP facilitates the sharing of best practices information on project identification, preparation, and management, to help countries manage current and future energy infrastructure projects.
Mekong Analysts form Socio-Economic Data Expert Consortium
Large-scale dams and development projects affect fishers and farmers throughout the Lower Mekong Basin—but social and economic data about the impacts is often unavailable. To counter this issue, socio-economists from the Mekong region have formed a consortium to promote sharing of data on livelihoods and wellbeing, especially from ‘hotspots’ where traditional livelihoods have been affected. …
Lower Mekong Initiative 10th Anniversary
https://facebook.com/watch/?v=361462957861137
