• Cambodia is hosting ASEAN this year, so the Mekong-Lanchang Cooperation Mechanism will continue to contribute to a strong development component for ASEAN.

• Cambodia is expected to benefit from 67 projects worth more than $20 million through the Mekong-Lanchang Cooperation Special Fund.

• The $20 million supports a variety of development cooperation initiatives such as rural poverty reduction, water resources, agriculture, air connectivity, education, cultural heritage preservation, and women's empowerment.

Phnom Penh: H.E. Prak Sokhon, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, claimed that Cambodia has benefited from 67 projects worth more than $20 million through the Mekong-Lanchang Cooperation Special Fund to eliminate poverty and support other activities.

In a message for Mekong-Lanchang Cooperation Week 2022, H.E Prak Sokhon said that the Mekong-Lanchang countries' close cooperation and solidarity over the past six years has allowed the momentum of development, economic growth, complementary, people-to-people and cultural ties to be an important element in building a more open community environmentally, sustainably, peaceful and prosperous together.

Mekong-Lanchang countries recognize that our development needs will have an influence on natural resources, so we will work together to ensure that water resources are managed sustainably and that floods, droughts, storms, and other extreme weather events are managed effectively.

H.E Prak Sokhon was also pleased to see the Mekong-Lanchang collaboration expanded various sub-Mekong organizations, particularly ECMEC and the Greater Mekong Subregion, in promoting sub-regional and regional exchanges, as well as ASEAN community building initiatives

Through the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund, Cambodia has benefited from 67 projects totaling more than $20 million in support of a variety of development cooperation initiatives, he stated. Rural poverty reduction, water resources, agriculture, air connectivity, education, cultural heritage preservation, and women's empowerment are all important topics.

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak and the world health crisis, he went on to praise China's dedication to establishing the Mekong-Lanchang Public Health Community and its leadership role in supplying medical supplies. Millions of doses of COVID-19 medical supplies and vaccinations arrive on time for Mekong countries, particularly Cambodia, contributing to the success of the national vaccination campaign, which resulted in a 92 percent immunization rate and the reopening of the country.These accomplishments demonstrate the Mekong-Lancheng Cooperation Framework's usefulness and relevance.

While Cambodia is hosting ASEAN this year, he stressed that the Mekong-Lanchang Cooperation Mechanism will continue to contribute to a strong development component to ensure that ASEAN remains alive in the sense of a community with a shared destiny.