On 17-18 July 2023, the U.S. Department of State, the Stimson Center, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Mae Fah Luang University co-hosted the Mekong-U.S. Partnership Track 1.5 Policy Dialogue on Transboundary Water Governance at Le Méridien Chiang Rai.
This Policy Dialogue aimed at exploring solutions to the issues and challenges in sustainable natural resource management and water governance in the Mekong River.
The conference brought together over 90 participants from multiple sectors namely policy makers from the Mekong countries, academics, researchers, experts, representative of the local community network and non-government institutions. The discussion focused on the sustainable management of the Mekong River; Mekong river sand mining; the water-energy-food security nexus; preventing the collapse of riverbanks and sediment in the Mekong River; ecosystem restoration and protection; Nature-based Solutions (NBS); mitigation and adaptation to climate change; and developing the global mechanisms to ensure sustainability in the region.
In addition, the conference reflected that the implementation and data management should be in the inclusive manner as well as promote the use of research knowledge in identifying solutions to policy and planning.
The regional development is Mae Fah Luang University’s high-priority issue. The university has provided students with an understanding of regional development; continuously conducted research studies on the Mekong region in various dimensions; and integrated academic resources with local knowledge in order to promote sustainable development of communities, societies and the region according to the university’s vision that highlights a learning for well-being and sustainable future.
The Partnership Policy Dialogues, organized by the Stimson Center and IUCN and supported by the U.S. Department of State, are a series of seven conferences taking place between 2021 and 2023. These dialogues explore solutions to key policy and sustainability challenges in the Lower Mekong under the different themes including: connectivity, energy and infrastructure, non-traditional security, transboundary water governance, and nature-based solutions.
