Actively implementing the Joint Statement of the 4th Summit of the International Mekong River Commission (MRC) (Vientiane Joint Declaration) is one of the key directives of the Fifty-fifth Meeting of the MRC Joint Committee which convened in Danang city, Viet Nam on May 18.
Attending the meeting were about 40 delegates who are members of the MRC Joint Committee of the MRC from member countries of the MRC, representatives of several relevant agencies and ministries, the Executive Director and many key officials and experts of the Secretariat.
The Vietnamese delegation attended the meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Standing Office of the Viet Nam Mekong River Commission. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Linh, Chief of the Standing Office of the Viet Nam Mekong Committee, Member of the Joint Committee, and Chairwoman of the Joint Committee for the term 2023.
Delegates attending the 55th meeting of the International Mekong River Commission Joint Committee
The Fifty-fifth Meeting of the MRC Joint Committee marks the first of two annual meetings where the Joint Committee comes together to discuss management, organization, and cooperation matters. During the meeting, delegates from member countries and the MRC Secretariat tackled several important issues. These included the Mekong Fund and its trial implementation modality, the first phase of the final report on Joint Study on the changing patterns of hydrological conditions of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin, and outcomes of the 4th MRC Summit and International Conference and the implementation of Vientiane Declaration. They also discussed the progress on the implementation of PNPCA Prior Consultation Processes for Sanakham and Phou Ngoy Hydropower Projects, the implementation of Joint Action for other hydropower projects, and the Proactive Regional Planning, as well as other routine works of the MRC.
It is expected that the 56th Session of the Joint Committee of the MRC will be held in September 2023 at the MRC Secretariat Headquarters, Vientiane, Laos.