Busadee Santipitaks (left) shakes hands with the British Ambassador to Laos, Melanie Barlow, after signing the partnership agreement. - Vientiane Times/ANN
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): Laos and the region of South-East Asia as a whole is set to benefit from strengthened climate resilience efforts and improved water resource management through a new development partnership between Britain and the Mekong River Commission (MRC).
The confirmation of the programme was formalised at a ceremony held in Vientiane.
As part of this collaboration, Britain has officially become a Development Partner of the MRC and pledged support to enhance regional climate adaptation, water governance, and biodiversity protection, offering significant benefits to communities across the Lower Mekong Basin, including those in Laos.
The United Kingdom will provide technical expertise in climate science, nature-based solutions, and water management to help Laos and its neighbours respond more effectively to the growing challenges of floods, droughts, and other climate impacts.
The new partnership will also support the continued development of the “One Mekong” mobile application—a digital tool that delivers real-time river data, water forecasting, and community reporting functions.
This app will play a key role in improving public access to vital water information for local authorities, farmers, and communities in Laos and throughout the basin.
Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony, UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Catherine West, highlighted the strategic importance of the Mekong River and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to long-term sustainable development in the region.
“The Mekong River isn't just important in the fight against the climate and nature crisis—thousands across the region rely on it as a source of food and income,” she said. “This partnership is another demonstration of the UK’s commitment to this critical region and addressing shared challenges like climate change.”
Chief Executive Officer of the MRC Secretariat, Busadee Santipitaks, welcomed Britain's formal entry as a Development Partner and said the collaboration would enhance regional cooperation and climate preparedness.
“The UK’s (Britain) support, combined with the MRC’s expertise, will help boost the resilience of our Mekong communities and protect the incredible biodiversity of this region,” she said.
With more than 80 percent of the population in the Mekong Basin depending on shared water resources for agriculture, fishing, and daily living, the partnership aims to improve long-term water security and strengthen sustainable development initiatives.
The UK’s new engagement with the MRC is funded through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme, aligning with the UK’s broader commitment to multilateral cooperation and climate resilience across Asia.
Headquartered in Vientiane, the MRC is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1995 by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to jointly manage the sustainable development of water resources in the Lower Mekong Basin, one of the world’s most biodiverse river systems. - Vientiane Times/Asia News Network
