December 16, 2020 at Mekong River Room, Mekong Institute – Dr. Narongchai Akrasanee, President of Khon Kaen University Council and President of the Mekong Institute Council; Dr. Tej Bunnag, Vice President of Khon Kaen University Council and Honorary Advisor of the Mekong Institute Council; Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University and a member who represents academic institutions in the Mekong Region; Dr. Jean Pierre A. Verbiest, Policy Advisor, Mekong Institute and Mr. Elliott Kirton, First Secretary, NZAID Programme held a 2020 Annual Mekong Institute Council Meeting, in a hybrid meeting style.
Mrs. Nguyen Hai, the representative of the Ministry of Planning, Vietnam, presided over the meeting. Among other attendants were representatives from the member countries of the Mekong Sub-region including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and Yunnan, People’s Republic of China; a representative from Vietnam University and a representative from the Bank for Asian Development.
The Mekong Institute Council members authorized the 5-year Strategic Plans (2021-2025) of the institute as well as the activity plan for the 25th anniversary of the institute in 2020, which will be under the collaboration between MI and KKU.
Due to the spread of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19), the representatives of the governments of the member countries were unable to attend the meeting. Thus, the meeting this time was conducted both physically and by means of Digital Zoom.
By Boriphat Thasi
