29 – 30 November 2017, Pattaya, Thailand, The Council Meeting is an annual ministerial meeting by the Council Members (natural resources and environment ministers) of the MRC to review and come to mutual conclusions on the management and development of water and related resources within the framework of the Agreement on Cooperation for Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin (the 1995 Mekong Agreement).

At the upcoming 24^th Council Meeting, the Council Members will review MRC work in 2017 and together make a decision on future direction for MRC in 2018 and beyond. The agenda of the meeting will focus among other issues, on:

• Emerging results from the Study on Sustainable Management and Development of the Mekong River including Impacts by Mainstream Hydropower Projects;
• Joint Action Plan on the Pak Beng Hydropower Project
• Preparation for the 3rd MRC Summit on April 2018 in Siem Riep;
• Consideration for approving the Mekong Climate Adaptation Strategy (MASAP)
• MRC decentralization
• Annual Work Plan and priorities for 2018

The MRC was established on 5 April 1995 when Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam altogether signed the1995 Mekong Agreement. It is the only inter-governmental organisation that works directly with the four governments to jointly manage the shared water resources and the sustainable development of the Mekong River. The MRC consists of three permanent bodies: (i) the Council, (ii) the Joint Committee, and (iii) the Secretariat.

Agenda for Session 2: Joint Meeting with the 22nd Development Partner Consultative Group