SBR- Content.pmd - INBO

14 - Cooperation in the Mekong BasinIn the years that followed, for a variety of reasons, including conflict in some of the Basin’scountries, few of the Mekong Committee’s ambitious projects were ever realised. However, thePlan did lay the foundations for the Lower Mekong governments’ involvement in natural resourceplanning.In the late 1970s, lack of political stability in the region led to the interruption of Mekong Committeesessions. As a consequence, in 1977, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam adopted a new statute toestablish an Interim Mekong Committee to allow activities to continue. The statute provided for thereactivation of Cambodia’s membership, which was requested in 1991. The request led to lengthydiscussion that resulted in the transformation of the Mekong Committee into the Mekong RiverCommission through the 1995 Agreement.3. The Mekong River Commission 2The “Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin”was signed at Chiang Rai, Thailand on the 5 th April 1995. The agreement broadened the focus ofMekong cooperation from the development of large-scale projects to sustainable development andthe management of natural resources.The Mekong River Commission (MRC) differed significantly from the Mekong Committee thatpreceded it because it was no longer under the direction of the United Nations. The overallmanagement responsibility is vested in a ministerial council which appoints the Chief ExecutiveOfficer. The CEO reports to a Joint Committee of senior government officials of the member countrieswho in turn report to the Council.To demonstrate their commitment to the Mekong River Commission, in 2000 the member countriesagreed to increase their annual contributions to the Commission’s operating budget. They plan toincrementally take over the financing of all core activities by 2014. The Council adopted a vision forthe basin and a mission statement committing the organisation to equitably sharing resources andsustaining the environment and human welfare.MRC’s Vision for the Mekong Basin: An economically prosperous, socially just andenvironmentally sound Mekong River BasinMRC’s Mission Statement: To promote and coordinate sustainable managementand development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefitand the people’s well being by implementing strategic programmes and activitiesand providing scientific information and policy advice285