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 Mekong River Commission (MRC) is planning to organize its 12th Regional Stakeholder Forum (RSF) on 29 June 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand, as a hybrid event. The one-day RSF will be open to any interested stakeholders who wish to keep abreast of the latest development within the context of the MRC’s work and cooperation.

The Mekong River Commission will convene its 11th Regional Stakeholder Forum on 29–30 November 2021 to discuss responsible hydropower operation and management, and to provide the latest information and solicit public feedback on the proposed Sanakham hydropower project.

The PNPCA process provides stakeholders with available data and information of proposed project. The process is designed for the notified countries to make recommendations and for the proposing country to accept certain measures to avoid, minimise and mitigate any potential adverse transboundary impacts and find a better way to share benefits.

Since 2016, the MRC has organised the Regional Stakeholder Forum (RSF) every year to share information and address interests and concerns of regional stakeholders on reasonable and equitable use of water related resources in the Mekong River Basin. The RSF attempts to address mutual interests and concerns of both internal, the governments of the MRC Member Countries, and external stakeholders, non-government organisations (NGOs), the private sector, media, partners, and other interested groups. The RSF serves as a platform for the Member Countries and other relevant stakeholders to share information, and discuss, provide and exchange views and develop recommendations on the reasonable and equitable use of water and related resources in the lower Mekong Basin.

Recognising the interests involved in the basin and the importance of a shared and informed understanding of different stakeholders’ perspectives, the MRC continues to implement various activities to strengthen relationships with a broad range of actors and players outside the national governments, including the private sector, civil society and academia, and other partners working in the Mekong region. One initiative to achieve this is the continuation of a mechanism for engaging broader stakeholders, every year, through the Regional Stakeholder Forums (RSF).

The Mekong River Commission was established as a multi-lateral cooperation mechanism between the four Lower Mekong Basin countries (MC) of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam with the mission of promotion and coordination of the sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefit and the people’s well-being. Transboundary dialogue between the Mekong’s riparian countries helps reduce tension and increase cooperation across borders for better management of the shared water resources.