Participants at the meeting (Photo: https://www.mrcmekong.org/)Vientiane (VNA) – Senior officialsfrom the six Mekong countries have endorsed recommendations of thefirst phase of the Joint Study between the Mekong River Commission (MRC) andMekong Lancang Cooperation (MLC) topave the way for better information sharing about reservoiroperations on the Mekong’s water flow and water release, as wellas practical solutions to mitigate and adapt to impacts.
Accordingto the MRC, the agreement came after hoursof deliberation by the MRC Joint Committee and the MLC Joint WorkingGroup on Water Resources Cooperation, at their historic first jointmeeting on September 10 in Beijing, China.
Themeeting also agreed to establish a joint expert group to overseefurther joint studies and to launch the Joint Lancang-Mekong Survey.
The joint survey willsee both sides jointly conduct necessary field trips and surveys at keylocations in the upper-lower Mekong basin, including relevant engagements andobservations on the livelihoods of people and communities living along theriver.
Speaking at the meeting, ChiefExecutive Officer of the MRC Secretariat Dr Anoulak Kittikhoun saidthis is good news for the Mekong and people living in the region.
One of the keyrecommendations over the short-term period is for the MRC andMLC to work together more closely to ensure there iseffective near real-time sharing of storage levels and hydropoweroperations data throughout the Lancang-Mekong River Basin that couldhelp downstream communities prepare for and adapt to changes.
In the longer term, the joint study recommends that both institutions jointly formulate actionplans and strategies, including a comprehensive flood and drought managementstrategy and a capacity building plan, that can ensure coordinated waterresource management and adaptation to changing river conditions.
The Joint Study on Changing Patterns of HydrologicalConditions of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin and Adaptation Strategies was launched in June last year at the 12th MRC Regional Stakeholder Forum (RSF).
The study’s early findingsand recommendations are included in its first phase report,which will be shared at the 13th RSF on October 5, 2023in Luang Prabang, Laos./.
