CEO of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat Busadee Santipitaks (left) and UK Ambassador to Laos Mel Barlow at the official signing ceremony between the UK and the Mekong River Commission to become a development partner on June 19. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — The United Kingdom has formally joined the Mekong River Commission (MRC) as a Development Partner and announced new support to help strengthen climate resilience across the region.

At a signing ceremony in Vientiane on Thursday, the UK and MRC confirmed the partnership will support innovative solutions to strengthen resilience in a region highly vulnerable to floods and droughts.

UK representatives reaffirmed their commitment to sharing British technical expertise in climate science, water governance, and nature-based solutions to help Mekong communities adapt to climate change, protect livelihoods, and preserve biodiversity.

The new partnership will also advance the UK’s existing collaboration with the MRC to develop the “One Mekong” mobile application, which delivers real-time river data, water forecasting, and community reporting tools directly to citizens and decision-makers across the basin.

With over 80 per cent of the region’s population relying on the shared water resources managed by the MRC, this work is critical for security, prosperity and basic survival.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Catherine West said: “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.

"This partnership is another demonstration of the UK's commitment to this critical region and addressing shared challenges like climate change.

“It underscores the UK’s modern development approach, working through multilateral institutions to deliver sustainable, locally-led solutions.”

CEO of the MRC Secretariat Busadee Santipitaks shared that: “The MRC welcomes the UK as a Development Partner, which will help to strengthen the collaboration with the MRC, fulfilling a shared vision for a sustainable Mekong.

“The UK’s support, combined with the MRC’s expertise, will help boost the resilience of our Mekong communities and protect the incredible biodiversity of this region.”

The MRC is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1995 to boost regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River Basin.

Based on the Mekong Agreement among Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Việt Nam, the MRC serves as both a regional platform for water diplomacy and a knowledge hub to manage water resources and support sustainable development of the region. — VNS