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access
to
water
and
sanitation
for
all
management lies with each member country, the MRC is
mandated to promote sustainable development and coordi-
nate management from a basin-wide perspective. Every five
years the MRC supports the member countries in identifying
common basin-wide needs, opportunities and challenges.
In response to these issues, under MRC’s facilitation,
a common strategy to develop the Mekong from a basin-
wide perspective has been agreed: the Integrated Water
Resources Management (IWRM)-based Basin Development
Strategy. Agreed in 2011 and renewed in 2016, the strategy
sets out shared understandings about development oppor-
tunities, long and medium term risks, and priorities for
development and management, including five strategically
important joint projects: planning and management of the
Delta (Cambodia-Viet Nam); 3 S (Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam);
transboundary flood management (Cambodia-Thailand);
navigation (Laos-Thailand); and development of the border
area of Cambodia-Laos.
In seeking to fulfil its mandate to foster cooperation and
contribute to regional integration in water and related sectors,
the MRC and its member countries have sought to build active
cooperation with strategically important partners.
The MRC member states plus Myanmar are cooperating and
striving for regional integration as members of ASEAN, a cause
which is fully consistent with MRC’s aim of promoting greater
regional inter-dependence. In addition, the Mekong countries
are also cooperating through other bilateral and multilateral
mechanisms, including the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation
Mechanism, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC), Lower Mekong Initiative
(LMI), Mekong-Japan Cooperation, Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-
Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), the
Triangle Development Cooperation, and others.
All Mekong Basin countries are also making advances in
regional economic and physical connection under the Greater
Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation supported by The
Asian Development Bank (ADB). The MRC and ADB continue
to work together, building on their partnership agreement,
with a view to greater sharing of knowledge and informa-
tion and in promoting strategically important development
opportunities. Alignment of the development strategies estab-
lished under GMS and MRC cooperation frameworks will
support each to succeed in their respective aims. With the
MRC transitioning to core river basin management functions,
Image: MRC
Construction of the Xayaburi Hydroelectric Power project, Lao PDR