US support needed for Mekong growth balance

Addressing at the meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh called for US engagement in dealing with water-energy-food relations through helping Mekong countries find effective ways to mitigate climate change.

The meeting approved a joint statement and a statement on Building a Sustainable Future for the Mekong and a LMI Action plan in the 2016-2020 period. Ministers agreed to continue implementing key programmes, including the Connecting the Mekong initiative, through Education and Training, a start-up business centre for women, and one-health initiative.

Deputy Prime Minister Minh called for more projects to help the Mekong Delta provinces of Ben Tre, Soc Trang, and Tra Vinh respond to saline intrusion and drought. They agreed to organise the 9th LMI on the sidelines of the 49^th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Laos in 2016.