Hydropower projects on Mekong River should not cause negative impacts: spokeswoman

The building of hydropower projects on the Mekong River’s mainstream must ensure that they do not cause negative impacts, including cross-border effects, on the environment and socio-economic development of the countries along the river, especially the nations in the downstream region, in line with international practice and regulations of the Mekong River Commission, said a Vietnamese official.

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Answering a reporter's query on Laos’ plan to construct a dam in Luang Prabang in April raised at the ministry’s regular press conference on March 5, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said that as a country lying in the Mekong River's downstream region, Vietnam has paid much attention to cross-border impacts of not only the Luang Prabang hydropower project, but all hydropower works on the river's mainstream.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang

“As we have repeatedly stated, countries, which have legitimate interests in using the Mekong River’s water resources for development, have a shared responsibility for the sustainable use of the water resources,” Hang stressed.

“Vietnam wants and is willing to intensify cooperation with the countries along the Mekong River to manage and use efficiently and sustainably its water resources in order to ensure the harmony of benefits of the countries without negative impacts on the lives of people living in the region,” she added.

Source: VNA