The Government of the Netherlands has granted $2.17 million to the Mekong River Commission in support of its MRC Strategic Plan for 2016-2020 including the Flood Management and Mitigation Initial Studies.
The agreement was signed in Vientiane, Laos on 23 January, by Dr. Pham Tuan Phan, Chief Executive Officer of the MRC Secretariat and Ms. Karin Roelofs, Head, Cluster Water, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands.
This grant contributes to the MRC basket fund for the implementation of MRC priorities with one third is earmarked to successfully finalize the Flood Management and Mitigation Initial Studies.
The Initial Studies are to demonstrate the formulation of strategic directions to manage existing, future and residual flood risks in selected areas of the Lower Mekong Basin.
The Netherlands has contributed so far more than USD 16 million to the MRC since 1997 for activities related to wetland biodiversity, and flood management and mitigation.
The Mekong River Commission is the intergovernmental body responsible for cooperation on the sustainable management of the Mekong Basin whose members include Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam.
[mappress mapid=”23534″]