Thank you for the opportunity to be with you for the launch of the “Wonders of Mekong project: A Foundation for Sustainable Development and Resilience”. It is my pleasure to have another opportunity to celebrate our partnership between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United States. The goal of this particular project is to research and document the internationally significant natural and human capital assets of the Mekong and to demonstrate how conservation, that is, stewardship of Cambodia’s river and lake systems, is vital to Cambodia’s economic growth and the well-being of its people. We will need your dedication, determination and a real commitment to secure the success of this project.  Our coming together today provides a great opportunity to reflect on how truly wonderful the Mekong is, on the advances Cambodia is making for its conservation and on how together we will  continue to strengthen the health and vibrancy of the river for the people of Cambodia, the region and even the globe.

The Wonders of the Mekong project will conduct applied research, build capacity, and develop outreach and communications products to highlight the economic, ecological, and cultural values of biodiversity and ecosystem services associated with the Lower Mekong River. The outputs and resulting products, developed as an integrated package, will lead to better protection of a vibrant and healthy Lower Mekong system.