5 August 2015: Ministers from the five Lower Mekong countries – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam – highlighted the importance of environmental impact assessments (EIA) in protecting infrastructure and promoting sustainability, at a meeting with US partners in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Foreign ministers from the five Lower Mekong countries and the US Secretary of State convened on 5 August 2015, at an annual meeting of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), a partnership launched with the support of the US in 2009 to address challenges to the sub-region and narrow the development gap among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In their statement from the meeting, the ministers anticipate many new infrastructure investments over the next decade in energy, mining, transport, agriculture and other industrial sectors. Noting that such investments can undermine sustainable development, they pledge to consider their social and environmental consequences, and to conduct EIAs as a basis for mitigation and management plans.

Speaking at the meeting, US Secretary of State John Kerry highlighted the role of his government in investing over US$100 million in the LMI, and stressed that economic growth must be accompanied by “real stewardship” of the environment. He welcomed the ministers’ statement as a valuable blueprint for safeguarding the Mekong’s fragile ecosystems and preserving the livelihoods of local communities. He also looked forward to the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community. [US Department of State Press Release] [Joint Statement of Ministers] [Kerry Statement] [LMI Website]