Laos’ foreign minister Saleumxay Kommasith (centre right) and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi during the MoU signing. MRC
Indonesia and the Mekong River Commission (MRC) have inked a historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will see the start of closer cooperation in the fields of disaster risk reduction, water resource management, climate change adaptation and sustainable development.
The MoU was signed on January 28 during the ASEAN foreign ministers retreat in Lao’s Luang Prabang, in the presence of Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith and Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi.
.jpg)
Laos is the current 2024 rotating chair of ASEAN. Indonesia is the first non-Mekong country within ASEAN to sign an MoU with the MRC.
The two sides hoped that the MoU would facilitate a better sharing of ideas, experiences, and best practices for tackling water-related issues and advancing the sustainable management of water resources.
According to a January 28 joint press release by Indonesia and the MRC, the collaboration will be concentrated on building capacity, exchanging technical expertise, and implementing programmes in several key areas.
The programmes will encompass water resource management, irrigation, climate change resilience, disaster risk management, sustainable inland fisheries and water-related sustainable development goals, as well as tourism.
“Indonesia recognises the importance of the Mekong river basin to the Mekong countries and broader ASEAN region and the critical role the MRC plays in promoting cooperation in developing shared water resources of Southeast Asia’s largest river,” Siti Nugraha Mauludiah, Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman, was quoted as saying in the release.
“We appreciate the interest of Indonesia in working with and supporting the MRC’s mandate and mission,” said MRC secretariat CEO Anoulak Kittikhoun.
Kittikhoun added that the MRC has pledged to share its expertise and expects to learn “valuable” experiences and “successful” lessons from Indonesia.
“As the knowledge hub of the region, the MRC is proud to contribute to strengthening Mekong and ASEAN regional cooperation in sustainable water development and management,” he said.
