On 15-16 December 2015, Mrs. Pattrawan Vechasart, Deputy Director-General of the Department of American and South Pacific Affairs led the Thai delegation comprising representatives from 10 government agencies to the 8th Lower Mekong Initiative Regional Working Group (LMI RWG) in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

 

            Launched in 2009, LMI is a sub-regional framework that encompasses such countries as Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam (CLMV), Thailand, and the United States. It aims to promote economic cooperation with an ultimate goal of sustainable development in the Mekong countries as a significant factor of the successful ASEAN integration.

 

            During the course of the said LMI RWG, relevant meetings were also convened, namely, the first Working Group of the Friends of the Lower Mekong or FLM, including Australia, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea, and the 2nd Eminent and Expert Persons Group. In the pursuit of implementation of the LMI Master Plan of Action 2016 - 2020, these meetings aim to discuss issues on all the 6 pillars of LMI ranging from Education to Energy, Environment and Water, Agriculture and Food Security, Public Health, and Connectivity. 

In addition, 2 cross-cutting issues were discussed, namely (1) water-food-energy security nexus and (2) women’s empowerment and gender equality.

 

            On its part, Thailand co-chaired meetings under education and energy pillars with the United States, and actively participated in other concurrent sessions. Furthermore, Thailand introduced its draft of Future Direction for Lower Mekong Initiative that proposes not only a strategic policy coordination, but also possible future cooperation among LMI member countries.