January 2013: The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has released a report titled “The BDP Story,” outlining the history of the Mekong River Basin Development Plan (BDP). The report provides historical context to assist in the further development of the BDP.

The report includes sections on: the physical river and its environment; the people of the river and their history; 1945 to the 1995 Mekong Agreement; evolving paradigms as the 20th century waned; basin development planning since the start of the 21st century; and the future of the BDP. The report emphasizes that the BDP provides a foundation for cooperation, and expanding along the cooperation continuum from consultative and coordinated to collaborative and joint projects.

The report highlights the possibility of regularly adopting a “corporate” BDP embedded in the MRC programme, including: knowledge and information; capacity building; systematic multi-stakeholder consultation; coordinated national development plans and actions; transboundary management and mitigation plans; transboundary development plans and investment support; and transboundary negotiation support. [Publication: The BDP Story]