(VOVWORLD) -The Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit opened in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on Wednesday. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the 2-day summit with leaders of other MRC member countries, dialogue partners, development partners, international donors, and other river basin organizations.
 The Mekong river section flowing in Vietnam's southern region is called the Cuu Long river
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The summit aims to strengthen the shared effort to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals, including water resource management. Upholding commitments made at previous summit in Ho Chi Minh City 4 years ago, this 3rd summit in Cambodia will promote cooperation to overcome challenges to sustainable development in the Mekong Region.
One river, one destiny
The 4,800km-long Mekong River flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. 65 million people in the Mekong Subregion use the river’s rich resources.
The Mekong River Commission is an inter-governmental organization established in 1995, based on the Mekong River Treaty signed by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. The MRC operates as a regional forum on water resource cooperation and management for regional sustainable development.
Over the past 2 decades, the MRC has obtained important cooperative results in water use regulations, environmental management, fishing, and river transportation. The Mekong basin is now facing big problems including salt water intrusion and other climate change phenomena. The Mekong River, one of the world’s 5 biggest rivers, is experiencing severe flow reduction due to droughts and the construction of hydro-power plants on its main stream.
Le Duc Trung, Head of the Office of Vietnam’s Mekong River Commission, said: “The MRC has implemented strategic solutions. It has approved regional and national plans to implement a basin development strategy based on water management. This summit will reiterate the MRC members’ commitment to ensure sustainable development in the Mekong basin and set new priorities and orientations.”
Vietnam’s interests attached to Mekong River
The Mekong River plays an important role in economic development in Vietnam’s Southern delta and Central Highlands. It accounts for 60% of the total flow in Vietnam. Vietnam has actively participated in regional and global cooperation on water resources involving the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
Vietnam hosted the 2nd MRC summit in 2014 themed “Water, Energy, Food Security in the context of climate change for the Mekong River Basin”. Vietnam has prioritized water resource cooperation in the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Framework and supported the Water Working Group and the establishment of the Mekong-Lancang Water Resource Management Center.
Vietnam promoted sustainable use of the Mekong River water resources in the agenda of the just concluded 6th Greater Mekong Subregion Summit in Hanoi. Participating countries pledged to work together for sustainable development in the Mekong Subregion, as proposed by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
“It’s necessary to share information and conduct joint research on Mekong water management, exploitation, and usage. Cooperation on sustainable development and environmental protection should be enhanced. Green development strategy should be combined with national development policy. Ecosystem service value assessments should be conducted to identify the benefits of a healthy ecosystem for sustainable development and responsible environmental protection.”, Mr. Phuc said.
As Chair of the MRC for 2018 and wish Prime Minister Phuc’s attendance at the MRC summit Vietnam affirms its commitment to work with other countries to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.