Mekong River Commission Defends Seven-Week Silence on Lao Dam Project Submission
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) Wednesday defended its decision to wait nearly seven weeks before officially notifying the public that Laos began a preliminary procedure for the construction of a large dam that would be its fifth on the Mekong river.
The Lao government informed the Mekong River Commission (MRC) on July 31 that it submitted the Luangprabang hydropower project to undergo the six-month prior consultation process under the MRC’s Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA).
The MRC Secretariat, when asked by RFA to explain the delay, explained that in prior projects it made quick announcements to the public.
“But it came without any available project documents as well as easily accessible documents (such as project overview and roadmap for consultation) to help the public understand better the project and consultation process,” said the secretariat in an email.
