MEKONG GANGA COOPERATION (MGC)
Addressing the 12th MGC Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has priorised the implementation of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway. They decided to establish a Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Business Council to take forward economic cooperation and expand the ambit of exchanges in agriculture, science and technology and water resource management.
The meeting also explored new areas of development partnership, including through Quick Impact Projects and taking forward culture and tourism, and deepening museum-based cooperation.
New MGC Plan of Action 2019-2022 at 11th MGC Ministerial meeting
It envisages project-based cooperation among member countries in various areas including tourism and culture, education, public health and traditional medicine, agriculture and allied sectors, transport and communication, MSMEs and water resources management.
Membership: The MGC, is a subr egional cooperation organisation comprising India and five ASEAN countries, namely, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Mandate: Facilitating closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river basins and enhancing cooperation in tourism, culture, education, transport and communications.
Details:
Mekong River Basin countries are Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
MGC was launched in 2000 at Laos capital Vientiane.