German Funding to Strengthen Water Cooperation among Mekong Countries

The government of Germany has committed 4 million euros ($4.6 million) to strengthen cross-border water cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion through the Mekong River Commission.

A news release from the Mekong River Commission said the funding for the period January 2019–December 2021 supports increased dialogue and cooperation on transboundary water resource planning and management among the lower Mekong countries: Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Thailand, and Viet Nam. It will be implemented through the German technical development organization GIZ.

The Mekong River Commission said much of the funding will go to projects that are currently being piloted and supported by Germany. These are two joint projects between Cambodia and the Lao PDR, and Cambodia and Thailand, which seek to better understand and manage Mekong basin resources and address flood and drought issues.

The agreement on this new funding is expected to be signed by Germany and the commission at the end of this year.

The Mekong River Commission is an intergovernmental organization for regional dialogue and cooperation in the lower Mekong river basin, established in 1995 based on the Mekong Agreement between Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

Read the news release at the commission’s website.