The Mekong River and Economic Subregion
The Asia Foundation and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly organized a series of Mekong-Australia Policy Dialogues (MAPD), designed to facilitate the creation and exchange of policy ideas toward a fuller and more sustainable realization of the Mekong River and its subregion's economic potential. With a focus on the five lower riparian states, which collectively make up the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), the dialogues aimed to provide policy options that foster a collaborative and mutually beneficial approach between and among countries. They allowed for constructive discussion of a broad set of perspectives and priorities—including from ACMECS development partners like Australia—consistent with the traditional "Mekong Spirit." Their outcomes were a mixture of new environmental and economic insights into the river and subregion, and concrete suggestions toward taking them forward.
MAPD consisted of three dialogues between 2019 and 2021.
3rd Mekong-Australia Policy Dialogue: Road to Recovery: Transforming Transport Infrastructure in ACMECS
November 17, 2021
Program Snapshot Post
Around 150 participants (via a hybrid model of four live locations linked to one another and to others online) attended the third Mekong-Australia Policy Dialogue, including members of Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) and Australia, as well as other regional partners, multilateral organizations, and the private se… Read more
2nd Mekong-Australia Policy Dialogue: Energy & Electricity Futures for ACMECS Members
December 15, 2020
Program Snapshot Post
The largely track one dialogue (held as a hybrid event with three live locations linked to one another online and to virtual participants in two other countries) brought together approximately 170 individuals from ACMECS member countries, as well as from other regional partners, multilateral agencies, and the private sector. The policy dialogue foc… Read more
1st Mekong-Australia Policy Dialogue: Evolving Subregional Architecture and ACMECS
Bangkok, June 27, 2019
Program Snapshot Post
Mekong sub-regional architecture is becoming more complex, reflecting increased geopolitical attention and expanding cooperation between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, their neighbors and partners. Thirteen Mekong-related intergovernmental cooperation frameworks have been established since 1957. This track 1.5 Mekong Policy Dialogue wi… Read more