Mekong - U.S. Partnership
U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program (TCTP)
The U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program (TCTP) is a partnership between the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State which jointly conducts capacity building course for Southeast Asian countries, in particular those in the Mekong region. TCTP supports ASEAN community-building efforts through its workshops and training seminars in developmental focused areas.
Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong (SIM)
Managed in partnership with the USAID Regional Development Mission ASIA (USAID/RDMA), The Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong (SIM) is a, government-to government technical assistance program that utilizes the science and engineering expertise of the U.S. Department of the Interior, International Technical Assistance Program to help MUSP countries safeguard the environment from the negative effects of infrastructure development.
Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP)
U.S. technical assistance, in coordination with Japan, supports Mekong electricity regulatory and system development by working with national and regional market authorities on reliably integrating renewable energy, enhancing opportunities for regional power trade, and opportunities for private investment.
Sister Rivers Exchange
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leads the Sister Rivers Exchange program to promote the sharing of experiences between the Mississippi River Commission and the Mekong River Commission through with the aim of increasing regional stability and prosperity.
Foundations for Strategic Lower Mekong Hydropower and Water Resources Management
This program led by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) built technical capacity across the Mekong region for integrated river planning and management to help ensure that energy development projects consider social and environmental considerations while improving energy security.
NexView
NexView, a partnership among the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Arizona State University, bolsters (MRC) efforts to promote good governance and transboundary cooperation by providing multidisciplinary decision support.
Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership (SIP)
The Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership (SIP) is a multi-partner platform established by the Friends of the Mekong for regional dialogue, capacity building, and training. SIP addresses three cross-cutting topics that are central to the Mekong River Basin’s development challenges: assessing the cumulative impact of infrastructure projects, incorporating socio-economic data in basin-level planning, and sharing critical water-related data and information necessary for science-based decision-making.
Mekong Water Data Initiative (MWDI)
MWDI, launched in 2017, is a cooperative effort to manage and share water-related data to improve resource management of the Mekong River basin. MWDI enables officials to make informed choices about water resources management. The United States has worked closely with LMI countries, the Mekong River Commission (MRC), members of the Friends of the Lower Mekong, and the private, academic, and non-profit sectors to design and launch MekongWater.org, a clearinghouse for data and tools that will empower and inform LMI countries on water security issues, such as drought and flood monitoring. The platform incentivizes peer-to-peer connections among regional researchers and the U.S. scientific community.
Drought and Dams: Climatologist’s Report Sparks calls for Data Sharing
A river monitoring report has sparked calls around the region for better data sharing on water use and dam operation on the Mekong. The report, by US-based climatologist Alan Basist and his team at the private consulting firm Eyes on Earth, suggests that the operation of hydropower dams in China may be contributing to downstream…
Mekong Research Symposium brings Data-Sharing Community Together
The Mekong Research Symposium (MRS) concluded today in Hanoi, after three days of discussions and demonstrations of tools for drought and flood predictions, water resource management, and resilience building. The event, organised by the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership (SIP) as part of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) from 16-18 December, brought together 160 participants from around…
Managing the Cumulative Impacts of Hydropower Cascades
At least 13 hydropower dams are operating on the Mekong today: 11 on the Upper Mekong in China, and two on the Lower Mekong at Xayaburi and Don Sahong, both in Lao PDR.[1] Managing their cumulative impacts will require new levels of coordination—and a one-day dialogue in Bangkok aimed to set the ball rolling. The Sustainable…
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. …
