Khmer Times —
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) Council on Thursday approved the highly anticipated Sustainable Hydropower Development Strategy (SHDS 2021) for the Lower Mekong Basin, one of the key deliverables of the previous Basin Development Strategy and the MRC Strategic Plan 2016–2020, to address the future sustainability of hydropower developments.
Water and environment ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam approved the strategy and other organisational rules and procedures during the 28th meeting hosted via videoconference by the Thai government in Bangkok.
Commenting on the Council’s approval of the strategy, General Prawit Wongsuwon, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and Chairperson of the MRC Council for 2021, said that the updated SHDS is one that stresses the need to move basin development toward outcomes that can address long-term needs.
At the virtual meeting, the MRC Council also welcomed the appointment of Dr Anoulak Kittikhoun of Laos as the 3rd Riparian CEO of the MRC Secretariat for the 2022–2024 tenure. Dr Kittikhoun’s appointment follows a unanimous decision by the MRC Joint Committee through a recruitment process that began in February. Dr Kittikhoun will take up his role in mid-January 2022.