1. Evolution of the Mekong River Commission-MRC
During the years, although the Mekong Committee had to struggle through
many difficult periods of social and political turmoil, thanks to
the continued supports form donor community; it has never ceased its
operation. During 1975 and 1978, for example, its work was severely
hampered by the political changes in its three member countries, namely,
Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam and therefore had to be scaled down to
a minimum level. In 1978, as Cambodia failed to continue its participation,
Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam jointly decided to establish the Interim
Mekong Committee to carry out basic studies and investigations as
was done earlier by the full committee
With the situation improving in the early 1990s, Cambodia submitted
its request to rejoin the Committee. At the same time, the recent
and rapid economic and environmental changes in all the four member
countries have called for a new organization with a new set of mandates
to cope with the countries’new needs.
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In response to the above, the Mekong Working
Group (MWG) comprising representatives from the four Member
countries was intiated in December 1992 to undertake a review
of the existing Staute and mandate of the Committee and carry
out the necessary preparations for the establishment of the
Mekong River Commission underA new cooperation framework. It
was a logical consequence of the new situation in the region,
e.g., the peaceful climate and the increased economic growth
due to the changing mechanism from centralized to market-oriented
economy of the countries in Indochina. Under the Chairmanship
of UNDP< the MWG met five times and its last one was held
in Hanoi in November 1994 when it also initialed the draft Agreement
on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of Mekong
River Basin. |
2. The Agreement
The Agreement, as have had witnessed, was signed by the plenipotentiaries
from
Cambodia, Lao POR, Thailand and Viet Nam.
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It has 42 important articles, forming a legal
framework and new mandate of the Commission. In addition, it
provides principles for sustainable utilization of the water
resources of the Mekong River system, institutional, financial
and management issues relating to the mechanism of coordination
between the member countries. As a whole, cooperative and equitable
basis, and consideration of economic and social factors affecting
the people, leading to the enhancement of overall quality of
life of people in the basin |
3. New MRC’s Structure and Vision
As a newly established enter-governmental organization in the region,
the Mekong River Commission has three permanent bodies, namely,
the Council at ministerial level, the Joint Committee at Direct-General
level and the Secretariat at the technical level. It is expected
that with the new mandate given, the Commission will carry on the
important role of the Mekong Committee, its predecessor, in helping
to coordinate water resource development, management and environmental
protection in the region. In addition, it will be able to participate
in a more written context in such other regional development effects
as the Quadrangle Economic Zone, the ADB’s Greater Mekong Sub region
initiatives, etc., whose common goal is to further promote regional
cooperation and economic development among the riparian countries
within the entire Mekong river basin.
After the signing of the formal Agreement, a Basin Development Plan,
which serves as the basis for carrying out future work of the Mekong
River Commission, will be formulated. The plan in conceived of as
a general planning tool and process to be Used by the Joint Committee
of the Mekong River Commission as a blueprint to identify, categorize
and prioritize the projects and programmes to seek assistance for
and to implement the plan at the basin level. It will define strategies
and priority programmes for integrated basin and corresponding sectored
development for socioeconomic growth, together with environmental
protection and cultural enrichment. In summary, the Plan aims to
assist in developing the Mekong cooperation in order to accelerate
interdependent sub regional growth, create a new environment, which
is conducive to large-scale investment, and, establish a firm foundation
for sustainable development.
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