US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met in Phuket, Thailand, with Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem and his counterparts from Cambodia, Laos and Thailand on July 23 to launch working groups on lower Mekong River water resources development, education, and human resources development, according to a Thai foreign ministry spokeswoman.

In particular, the Mississippi River Commission (US) and the Mekong River Commission will pursue a “sister-river” partnership to improve the trans-boundary management of water resources in the lower Mekong watershed.

According to Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry, the two commissions will share experiences in adapting to climate change, coping with floods and droughts, hydroelectric power and its impacts, the exploitation of water sources and related issues

Low-lying areas around the Mekong, Southeast Asia’s largest river, are considered some of the world’s most vulnerable to climate change and there is concern over rising pollution levels in the water.

Clinton stressed the Obama administration’s ‘commitment to deepen [American] engagement in Asia on the critical issue of climate change.’ It has asked the US Congress for a seven-fold increase in funding for climate change aid in the region, she said.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, in his meeting with counterparts from the four lower Mekong countries, committed $13 million in support of the Mekong River Commission. The Australian grant will build the capacity of the MRC and its staff and improve consultation on projects such as dam construction and water diversion for irrigation. Smith also pledged $3.2 million in support of the lower Mekong countries’ effort to reduce obstacles to cross-border trade.

Vietnam will take over the ASEAN Regional Forum chair from Thailand and host the group’s 2010 meetings.