H.E. E Jingping, Minister of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China 

Excellencies, Heads of Delegation, 

Distinguished Delegates,  

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

On behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Lao National Mekong Committee, it gives me great honor and pleasure to be here today to participate in the historic first ever meeting of the ministers in charge of water resources cooperation under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation framework. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to our dear friend the People’s Republic of China for your excellent hospitality accorded to our delegation as well as the great preparation in ensuring the success of this meeting. The Lao PDR has always attached great importance to the cooperation and partnership in the Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation since the 1st and 2nd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting. We highly value the support and contribution from the People’s Republic of China through multilateral and bilateral frameworks, especially to the implementation of the Sanya Declaration and the Phnom Penh Declaration and the Five–Year Action Plan on Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation (2018-2022). 

In the recent years, we made some achievements which I would like to share with you all. Lao PDR is implementing the 8th Five-Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2016-2020). We have completed setting up the Natural Resources and Environment Action Plan 2016-2020, Strategy 2025, and Vision 2030. In these three timeframes, water resource management has been incorporated as one of the priorities and we are now on the process of Mid-term review for these activities. Moreover, the revision of the Law on water and Water Resources was discussed and consulted with concerned line-agencies from the central to local level. After comprehensive process the law was officially adopted by the National Assembly in May 2017. In the regional context, Lao PDR has been implementing and up scaling the Mekong-Integrated Water Resources Management Program as well as the ten year Strategic Framework of the Greater Mekong Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation Program, IWRM-based Basin Development Strategy of the Lower Mekong River Basin 2016-2020, ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action for Water Resources Management. In addition, Lao PDR has been selected as the chair of the ASEAN Water Working Group during 2020-2022 and the Global Water Partnership for Southeast Asia (GWP-SEA) during 2019-2021. This will facilitate and enhance the cooperation in the region with regard to integrated water resources management. 

Excellencies, 

Distinguished Delegates, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Our Ministerial Meeting of Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation today will endorse the Joint Statement in order to have an in-depth innovative platform for policy dialogue, technical exchange and economic cooperation in the water sector, promote sharing of water management experience and data, facilitate business cooperation, and contribute to sustainable water utilization and socio-economic development in all riparian countries. Lao PDR and China have intensive cooperation on capacity building and demonstration projects, including Lao National Water Resources Data and Information Center establishment, Nam Ou and Nam Theun-Kading River Basins Management Planning and Water quality monitoring programme, experience exchange of more than 30 groups, 100 Chinese experts have visited Lao PDR and over 300 Lao professionals went the other way round. We expect that the Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation continue focusing on the delivery of practical results. As the cooperation mechanism jointly set up by the six member countries, Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation is the first of its kind involving the six riparian countries in an equitable manner with the aim of benefit sharing. Water resources are essential for the well-being of our peoples. Lao PDR attaches great importance to Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation. 

Lao PDR will work closely with the other member countries to move forward our cooperation to a wider and deeper level, through policy dialogues, joint research, capacity building, cooperative projects, especially during the period that Lao PDR acts as the co-chair country for the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation for 2018-2020. In parallel, we would like to share knowledge and experiences as well as experts exchange with riparian countries and relevant stakeholders on the cascade dam operation, flood and drought management, river basin planning, groundwater management, climate change resilience and water supply safety; build the capacity for Lao water resources cooperation in order to coordinate and implement the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation framework effectively. 

On behalf of Lao delegation, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the host country particularly to the Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation Center that renders as a platform for the water resources cooperation among the six member countries. My thanks also extended to the member countries for their collective efforts towards the cooperation in the region. 

Finally, I wish the Ministerial Meeting of Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation great success and fruitful outcomes.