Foreign minister Sok Chenda Sophea chairs an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss the progress of video production about Cambodia on August 12. Foreign ministry
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sok Chenda Sophea will lead a delegation to the 9th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand on August 16 at the invitation of his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa.
The meeting, to be held under the theme “Towards a Safer and Cleaner Mekong-Lancang Community”, will provide an opportunity for the foreign ministers to review progress under the MLC mechanism, the ministry said in an August 13 press release.
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This includes implementing the key outcomes of the 8th MLC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in December 2023, jointly addressing emerging challenges and exploring improved approaches based on the 2023-2027 five-year action plan, to advance the MLC for the benefit of the entire Mekong sub-region, it said.
During his stay in Chiang Mai, Chenda Sophea will join other MLC foreign ministers to meet with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
“He is also expected to have bilateral talks with other foreign ministers to further strengthen ties and cooperation under bilateral and multilateral frameworks,” the release said.
Sangiampongsa will co-chair the meeting alongside Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, according to an August 13 post on the Thai foreign ministry’s website.
“The key topics to be addressed at this meeting will include reviewing and planning for future cooperation within the MLC framework, including ways of collaboration in resolving air pollution and combating transboundary crimes, in particular illicit drug trafficking, and cybercrimes and telecommunication fraud, as proposed by Thailand,” it said.
Thavisin will deliver a keynote speech to reaffirm Thailand’s commitment and push forward tangible cooperation to tackle these issues effectively within the MLC mechanism, noted the release.
The meeting will also explore additional areas of cooperation that align with Thailand's interests, focusing on addressing development challenges currently faced by the Mekong sub-region, such as economic recovery and water resource management.
The release added that four outcome documents will be adopted during the meeting: the draft Joint Press Communique of the 9th MLC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the draft Initiative on Deepening Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation, the draft Joint Statement on the Mekong-Lancang Clean Air Initiative, and the draft Joint Statement on Strengthening Cooperation in Combating Transboundary Crimes under the MLC Framework.
