Mekong River: Xayaburi Dam Construction Delayed

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

Background

The Governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to delay the building of the Xayaburi Dam. The dam was the first of 11 dams proposed for the Mekong River basin. The delay was announced at the meeting of the Mekong River Commission Council, held in Cambodia on 8 December 2011.

Comment

The building of the dam will be delayed until further studies are conducted on the impacts of the dams on the Mekong mainstream. In 2010, the Mekong River Commission published a Strategic Environment Assessment that recommended that the dams be delayed for around 10 years, until further studies were undertaken.

According to anti-dam lobby group, International Rivers, the dam would jeopardise the lives and food security of millions of people. The group noted that the dam would cause the resettlement of 2,100 people, while a further 200,000 people would have their livelihoods affected. The proposed dam was located in Laos and would have provided hydro-electric energy to surrounding countries. The Mekong winds 4,800 kilometres to the South China Sea from China, making it the longest river in South-East Asia.

As time passes, it will most likely become increasingly difficult to dam the Mekong River, particularly if Vietnam, located at the mouth of the river, continues to outpace its upstream neighbours economically.

With time, Vietnam will hold greater sway in the region and will demand a greater say in the future of the Mekong. Upstream countries, apart from perhaps China, will need to compensate Vietnam adequately with hydro-energy from the dams to win Vietnamese support. This is not beyond the realm of possibility, as Vietnam needs to find alternative energy sources to fuel its economic growth.

Related reading: Kleyn, G., ‘Lessons to be Learnt from Mekong River for Asia’, Future Directions International Strategic Analysis Paper, 28 January 2011. Click HERE for article.

Gary Kleyn

Manager

Global Food and Water Crises Research Programme

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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