AKP Phnom Penh, September 18, 2026 -- The Mekong River Commission (MRC), together with its Dialogue Partners, China and Myanmar, has commemorated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their formal dialogue, reaffirming the importance of information sharing and cooperation for the sustainable management of the Mekong-Lancang River Basin.

Speaking at the anniversary event, H.E. So Sophort, Secretary General of the Cambodia National Mekong Committee and Chairperson of the MRC Joint Committee for 2026, recalled that 30 years ago, all riparian countries agreed to exchange information on activities and projects related to the use of the Mekong River and its resources.

The countries also agreed to seek ways and means to cooperate in using the Mekong River and its resources for different purposes in a sustainable manner, while striving to promote development across the six riparian countries for the benefit of their people.

H.E. So Sophort emphasised that such cooperation has become increasingly important as the Mekong-Lancang River Basin faces growing environmental and socio-economic challenges, particularly the escalating impacts of climate change and increasing weather variability.

He stressed the importance of achieving the goal of sharing full information on the Lancang-Mekong River Basin among the six countries as early as possible.

“Full information sharing will help strengthen upstream and downstream coordination to address the challenges of flood and drought disasters together,” he said.

Future areas of cooperation proposed by China include urgent notifications, broader basin-wide data sharing, and joint efforts on flood forecasting and drought response.

The proposals are aimed at strengthening coordination among the countries and improving their preparedness to respond to increasingly complex water-related challenges across the basin.

Ms. Busadee Santipitaks, CEO of the MRC Secretariat, underscored that trust is a key foundation of effective river cooperation.

“Trust in river cooperation is built through consistent action, such as sharing data as agreed, communicating changes in a timely manner, with a view for better preparedness and protection of the Mekong and its peoples,” she said.

She called on the countries to continue their cooperation with openness and a shared purpose so that the Mekong River can continue to sustain communities and serve as a connection among the countries for generations to come.

The Mekong-Lancang River Basin is shared by six countries – China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam – making cooperation and information exchange important for addressing shared challenges related to water resources, climate change, floods, droughts and sustainable development.

(Photo: MRC)

By Heng Panha