United Kingdom Deepens Climate Cooperation with Mekong Countries
June 20, 2025
UK Embassy in Laos – The United Kingdom has formalized its role as a development partner to the Mekong River Commission (MRC), signaling a deepening commitment to supporting climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development in Southeast Asia.
The move comes as climate-related disasters such as typhoons and floods become more frequent and severe, posing significant risks to countries like Laos.
British Ambassador to Laos, Mel Barlow, emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing these challenges.
“Laos is facing increasing risks from climate change – as recent typhoons and flooding have shown,” she said, pointing out that solutions must extend beyond borders. “The scale of the problem will require even stronger partnerships and innovative technological solutions – across all four countries of the Lower Mekong Basin.”
The UK’s newly established partnership with the MRC makes it the fifteenth development partner of the intergovernmental body, which coordinates water resource management in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Ambassador Barlow noted that this step builds on years of UK engagement in the region and a strong foundation of cooperation.