Some bi- and multi-lateral institutions relating to the Mekong cooperation and recommendations to synergize By Nguyen Nhan Quang Expert on River Basin Management
Mekong river basin area: - Upper part (18%) China 16% Myanmar 2% - Lower part (82%) Cambodia 18% Lao PDR 35% Thailand 18% Viet Nam 11%
Multilateral cooperation in the Mekong region: Amongst countries in the Mekong region: Mekong River Commission -MRC (1995, MC from 1957). Cooperation for the Development Triangle between Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam-CLV (1999). Cooperation between Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Viet Nam-CLMV (2003). Strategy on the Economic Cooperation of Ayeyawady- Chao Phraya-Mekong (ACMECS) - CLMTV (2003).
Multilateral cooperation in the Mekong region: Between Mekong countries and development partners: Greater Mekong Sub-regional Initiative -GMS (1992), ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation -AMBDC (1996) Mekong-Ganga Cooperation - MGC (2000), Mekong-Japan Cooperation (2007), Lower Mekong Initiative (2009), Mekong-Korea Cooperation (2011), Friends of the Mekong -FLM (2011), Lancang-Mekong Cooperation-LMC (2015).
Some remarks: Up to now, there are over ten organizations in the name of Mekong aimed at specific objectives. Are they supplement or compete one another? Key words: - Sustainable development of WATER resources - Environment protection - Poverty reduction - Mekong River/Mekong River Commission
Name of organization MRC GMS Dev. triangle MGC ACMECS CLMV LMI LMC Mekong countries involved CLTV China-CLMTV CLV CLMTV-India CLMTV CLMV CLTV-USA CCLMTV Since 1995 (1957) 1992 10/1999 10/11/2000 11/2003 11/2004 7/2009 2016 Area of cooperation Trade-Investment X X X X Infrastructure development X Health X X X Agriculture X X X X HRD X X X X X Industry-Energy X (hydro) X (elect) X X X Transport X (navi.) X X X X X Tourism X X X X X X Environment X X X Culture/Education X X Water resources management X X X X Transport linkage X X X Dev. Production capacity Dev. cross-border economy X X Telecommunication X IT Poverty reduction X X Structure/Mechanism Summit X X X X X X Foreign Minister Conference X X X X X X Related Minister Meeting X X X SOM X (JC) X X X X X X Sectoral Working Group X X X X X X Secretariat/Office X X (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) X
Bilateral cooperation: At state level: + Establishment and meetings of the Joint Committee for the Cooperation on Economy, Culture, Technology-Sciences between a pair of countries: Viet Nam-Cambodia, Viet Nam-Laos, Viet Nam- Thailand, etc. + Signature of the specific agreements (e.g. Agreement on the Navigation in the Mekong river, Agreement on Transit of Goods on the Mekong River b/t Viet Nam and Cambodia); At sectoral level: + MOU between the related sector as Energy (Working group on the Se San river regulation, Joint Expert Group on border water regulation etc.) At local level: + MOU between border provinces b/t VN-Laos, VN-Cambodia Other types: + MOU on energy purchase Nam Ngum:TKN
E.g.: MOU or Commitments/Purchase contracts between: Thailand and Laos for importing electricity from Laos: Theun Hinboun (214 MW), Huai Ho (126 MW), Nam Theun 2 (920 MW), Nam Ngum 2 (597 MW), Theun Hinboun extension (220 MW), Hong Sa lignite (1,473 MW), Thailand and China: MOU signed on12 November 1998 to purchase 3.000 MW (2017) Thailand and Myanmar: MOU (12-11-1998): 3.000 MW (2017); MOU (30-5-2005 ) relates to two projects on the Thanlwin/Salween river (Hutgyi: 1.190 MW, Tasang : 7.000 MW) Laos and Malaysia: Laos and Viet Nam: Cambodia and China: MOU regarding Don Sahong HPP (240 MW) MOU regarding Luang Prabang HPP MOU regarding tributary schemes (Sekaman etc) Lower Se San 2
Subject to type of cooperation, there are different focal points for various bi- and multilateral cooperation in each country. Mekong water management is almost under function of water agency in each country. It calls for synergized, integrated, unified and harmonized coordination in each Mekong/riparian country, especially mechanism for effective and efficient two-way data and information sharing and exchange.
SUMMIT Only MRC is the entity set up by a legal instrument (1995 Mekong Agreement)
MRC is a mechanism to keep balance b/t water resources development and eco-environment protection. MRC is a custodian of longobserved data in water and water-related resources. Advantages, experiences and capacity of MRC need to be utilized, including physical facilities
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