Mekong cooperation: making a problem bigger
When asked about his success as a soldier and politician, US President Eisenhower said: “Whenever I run into a problem I can’t solve, I always make it bigger. I can never solve it by trying to make it smaller, but if I make it big enough, I can begin to see the outlines of a solution.” Eisenhower’s approach to problem-solving made him a successful leader. And it may be relevant to the situation in the Mekong today.
While they are neighbours, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam vary greatly in size, population, natural resource abundance and level of economic development. Their interests do not necessarily converge. In fact, when it comes to the Mekong, they’ve clearly diverged.
Jake Brunner/Brian Eyler
