29th MRC Council Meeting and the 27th Development Partners Consultative Group Meeting (November 24, 2022)

Vung Tao: Excellency Te Navuth, Permanent Vice Chairman of Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC), Alternate Member of MRC Council for Cambodia on behalf of H.E Mr. Lim Kean Hor, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology, Chairman of Cambodia National Mekong Committee and Member of the MRC Council for Cambodia,  led the Cambodia Delegation comprising representatives of line Ministries and Agencies to attend the 29th MRC Council Meeting and the 27th Development Partners Consultative Group Meeting.

The 29th MRC Council Meeting and the 27th Development Partners Consultative Group Meeting were chaired by Excellency Dr. Tran Hong Ha, Minister  of Natural Resources and Environment, and  the Chairperson of the MRC Council for 2022 and were attended by the Ministerial MRC Council Members of other three countries, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam, representatives of the Development Partners, Dialogue Partners, regional and international organizations and key staff of the MRC Secretariat.

The Meeting reviewed and discussed the progresses made on the implementation of MRC Strategic Plan, 2021-2025 and workplan for 2022 with a main focus on the continued improvement of organizational operation and activity implementation, enhanced effectiveness in implementing water use procedural rules, hydro-meteorological conditions in the Lower Mekong Basin,  and some other key tasks. More importantly, the Meetings approved the final programs of the 4th MRC Summit being hosted by Lao PDR to be held on 4-5 April 2023 in Vientiane Capital and the MRC’ Multi- Year Workplan for 2023-2024 for the continued implementation of MRC  Basin Development Strategy, 2021-2030 and Strategic Plan, 2021-2025.

At the Meeting, the Member Countries as well as the Development Partners and Dialogue Partner (China) highly appreciated the significant progresses and achievements of MRC made for 2022 in the difficult time of COVID-19 pandemic and committed to work closer and further strengthening regional cooperation to promote the more effective implementation of Basin Development Strategy, 2021-2030 for the sustainable management and development in the Mekong River Basin.

At the closing ceremony, Excellency Dr. Tran Hong Ha, Chairperson of the MRC Council for 2022 handed over the rotating Chairmanship of the MRC Council for 2023 to Cambodia that Cambodia will host the upcoming 30th Meeting of the MRC Council and the 28th Development Partner Consultative Group Meeting in 2023.