The Mekong River Commission has opened registration for the 13th MRC Regional Stakeholder Forum, a platform for interested parties to hear updates about hydropower and other developments along Southeast Asia’s largest river, which affects tens of millions of people.

The December 12-13 RSF will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, while simultaneously broadcast live online. Not only will various stakeholders hear the latest reports on various projects along the river, but will have the opportunity to share their insights, opinions and concerns.

The Forum itself represents part of the MRC mission, which is for the intergovernmental agency – comprised of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam – to serve as a transparent “knowledge hub” and facilitating “water diplomacy” platform.

Among the key agenda items is for attendees to learn of the early findings from the landmark “Joint Study” between the MRC and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Water Center on behalf of the 6 riparian Mekong-Lancang countries. (The Mekong is known as the Lancang in China.) That Joint Study, which was launched in June this year at the 12th Regional Stakeholder Forum, aims to understand changing flow regime due to climate and developments, to enhance information sharing about the impact of reservoir operations on the Mekong’s water flow, water release and water quality as well as seek solutions to mitigate and adapt to impacts. Such data also serves as an early warning to the millions of fishing and farming families as well as countries downstream, which enables them to plan accordingly for any changes, and to take advantage of opportunities.

Other agenda topics during the 1.5-day event will include:

  • How the MRC’s new integrated river and environmental monitoring system, known as the Core River Monitoring Network, is crucial to safeguarding the Mekong’s health.
  • Updates on several hydropower projects (HPP), including the Don Sahong HPP, the Sanakham HPP, the Sekong A HPP, and the proposed Phou Ngoy HPP.
  • Discussion of how HPP development impacts Mekong fisheries and livelihoods, including mitigation measures, alternate sources of income, and other forms of “sustainable living.”
  • Discussion of how to enhance the partnership among the MRC, civil society organizations and the private sector – particularly, how to make that partnership more inclusive in the water sector. Projects that promote gender inclusion/equality will be discussed, too.

The draft programme will be posted here.

Expected Outcomes We expect that by the end of the Forum:

  • Participants will hear the latest MRC updates around various development activities in the Lower Mekong River Basin, thus increasing their appreciation of these activities.
  • Participants will recognize the need for developing measures to adapt to the changing flow regime of the Mekong River. They’ll provide useful feedback of various adaptation measures, for how the six Mekong countries effectively address these risks.

Participants will appreciate the importance of working together to address common challenges in the Basin and why gender inclusion in the water sector is critical in this task.