Mississippi River Commission delegation and Cambodian relevant officials visit Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Thom provinces to observe the situation of flood and drought around Tonle Sap lake on July 16. CNMC
The Mekong-Mississippi Sister Rivers delegation – made up of the Mississippi River Commission and the Mekong River Commission – on July 13 renewed their five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote safer and more economically and environmentally sound water resource development and management.
The Mississippi River Commission on July 16 visited Chnouk Trou commune in Kampong Chhnang province and Phatsanday commune of Kampong Thom province to observe the situation of flood and drought areas in the Tonle Sap lake, said the Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC).
CNMC said the visit had been led by Long Saravuth, deputy secretary-general of the CNMC, accompanied by an 11-member delegation of the Mississippi River Commission led by its president Diana M Holland.
“They visited areas of flood and drought to understand the real situation in the Tonle Sap lake and the challenges faced by the Cambodian communities living around it,” CNMC said.
Holland said: "We will build upon previous reciprocal meetings and discuss a wide range of water resource challenges common to both river basins.”
US Ambassador to Cambodia W Patrick Murphy took to Twitter on July 18 to hail the visit and the MoU renewal.
“Productive visit to Cambodia by the Mississippi River Commission to strengthen its Sister Rivers Partnership with Mekong River Commission, extending our support to the region via the Mekong-US partnership. Congratulations to the two commissions on signing a new, five-year MoU,” he said.
MRC secretariat CEO Anoulak Kittikhoun told The Post on July 18 that the Mississippi River Commission is one of its “important” partners from outside the Mekong River Basin region.
The two organisations shared common challenges when it came to balancing responsible water resource development for the people and the competing uses for it from other sectors, he said.
“We want both sides to appreciate the challenges we have and find practical ways to help each other, especially the most vulnerable people who are being impacted by water resource development,” Anoulak said.
The Mekong-Mississippi Sister Rivers delegation on July 14 visited Cambodia to meet senior officials from Cambodian ministries and the Mekong River Commission Regional Flood and Drought Management Centre (RFDMC).
The delegation first met with senior leaders from the CNMC, including Te Navuth, alternate member of the MRC Council for Cambodia, and So Sophort , the secretary-general of the CNMC and current chairperson of the MRC Joint Committee.
“They learned about the key role Cambodia has played in Mekong regional development, as well as the challenges the country is facing,” the MRC Secretariat said in a Facebook post on July 14.
They then visited the RFDMC to learn about one of the “core” areas of the MRC's work – providing flood and drought forecasting and early warnings to lower Mekong countries Cambodia, Lao, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Mekong-Mississippi Sister Rivers delegation exchanged views on how such services are provide to stakeholders in both basins and how information was collected. They also looked at areas to be improved on through the existing Mekong-Mississippi partnership.
The delegation was in Cambodia until July 16. They met with ministerial-level officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy before visiting the Tonle Sap, one of the world’s richest fishing grounds.
