The Mekong River Commission (MRC) wrapped up an international conference on Monday ahead of a summit of Cambodian, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese leaders.

In a statement released in Vientiane, the MRC Secretariat said the two-day meeting of more than 600 people focused on making a “meaningful difference” to address water security challenges.

“More needs to be done,” Lao Natural Resources and Environment Minister Bounkham Vorachit said.

“Mobilising political will remains crucial,” she added. “Equally important is to be forward-thinking and a willingness to consider innovative ways to approach local, regional and international cooperation.”

The statement said the conference discussed hydropower, flood and drought forecasting, child rights to water resources and aligning agreements and actions as well as artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

NEED FOR ‘REAL’ SCIENTIFIC DATA TO OFFSET ‘MISPERCEPTIONS’

Hao Zhao, secretary general of the Beijing-based Lancang-Mekong Water Centre, highlighted the need for better water cooperation.

“The key is to work together, shoulder to shoulder, and to maintain good cooperation,” Zhao said. “We also need real scientific data, to offset misperceptions.”

Susanne Schmeier – head of the Water Governance Department and an associate professor at IHE Delft in the Netherlands – said: “People are tired of talk – and really hungry to put all the talk into action …

“I heard many good examples and commitments from the private sector, youth and communities – not just from policymakers. And this is good news,” she said.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse