H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, is scheduled to attend the 3rd Mekong – Lanchang Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 15 December 2017 in Dali, Yunnan, the People’s Republic of China. H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, and H.E. Mr. Prak Sokhon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Cambodia, will co-chair the meeting.

 

The meeting will review the progress and activities of the Member States since the 1st Mekong – Lanchang Cooperation Summit as well as the first and second Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The meeting will also discuss the future of Mekong – Lanchang Cooperation with consideration of the 5 – Year Plan of Action 2018 – 2022 which will cover the main pillars of politics and security, economic and sustainable development, and society, culture, and people-to-people relations. Furthermore, the meeting will review the results of meetings in five areas by six working groups, namely water resources, connectivity, cross border economics, efficiency in production, poverty elimination, and agriculture. Lastly, the meeting will make preparations for the 2nd Mekong – Lanchang Cooperation Summit that will take place in Phnom Penh between 10 – 11 January 2018.

 

The meeting will also recognize the approval of projects funded by the MLC Special Fund, five of which are proposed by Thailand and will be focused on commerce and water management. Before the meeting, there will be an exhibition on Mekong – Lanchang Cooperation that will showcase the progress of the MLC since its first Senior Officials’ Meeting in 2015.

 

Thailand’s involvement in the meeting represents its commitment as a founder of the MLC. The MLC was founded to foster sustainable development, narrow the development gaps among the Member States, and strengthen the ASEAN Community. In the past couple of years, the Mekong – Lanchang Cooperation has emphasized real progress by supporting existing areas of cooperation and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.