AKP Phnom Penh, January 28, 2025 --

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has announced the appointment of H.E. Ms. Busadee Santipitaks as its new Chief Executive Officer.

According to a recent MRC’s press release, H.E. Ms. Busadee Santipitaks is the first woman and fourth riparian Chief Executive Officer to lead the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat. Her three-year term started on Jan. 17, 2025, and she will oversee the organisation’s operations from its headquarters in Vientiane and the Flood and Drought Management Centre in Phnom Penh from 2025-2027.

“I am very pleased to lead this regional inter-governmental organisation which has made significant progress over the years in water resources management. The active leadership of previous CEOs, particularly my predecessor, Dr. Anoulak Kittikhoun, former CEO, has strengthened the MRC’s role, contribution, and relevance to this incredible international river,” she said.

Under her leadership, a new strategic direction will focus on intensified cooperation: Strengthening collaboration among the four MRC Member Countries (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam) and dialogue partners (China and Myanmar) as well as development partners on all aspects of water resources management, said the press release, adding that enhanced river monitoring, joint project management and flood and drought resilience are among her priorities.

“This year, as we celebrate 30 years since the signing of the 1995 Mekong Agreement, we must appreciate the amazing journey we have made. For the past three decades, the MRC, the only agreement-based organisation on the Mekong River Basin, has worked together with the Dialogue Partners and international Development Partners to protect and manage sustainably the Mekong River, a natural wonder that has been supporting the lifeline for millions of people across our region. As often cited, the Mekong River has been a source of biodiversity, home to thousands of species of plants and fishes. We must cooperate closely to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Mekong River Basin. I am committed to continuing the legacy of regional cooperation and external partnership towards sustainable development in transboundary water management cooperation,” she underlined.

According to its online source, the MRC is an intergovernmental organisation for regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River Basin, established in 1995 based on the Mekong Agreement between Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. The organisation serves as a regional platform for water diplomacy and a knowledge hub of water resources management for the sustainable development of the region.

By Phal Sophanith