Author Description

The Mekong River, the heart and soul of the Indochina region, supports over 60 million people for food, water, transport and many other aspects of their daily lives. In Cambodia, the Mekong River running from the north in the Cambodian-Laos border to the south is a dominant feature of the country's topography especially the ecologically unique Tonle Sap Lake - the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The report examines, from a Cambodian perspective, the conventional economic development paradigm in the Mekong Region and its significant environment, socio-economic and political effects. It analyses the cooperation among the Mekong region countries, the institutions involved in promoting cooperation and economic development, the implementation of the Mekong River Agreement and the changes to local livelihoods in Ratanakiri and Pursat Provinces in response to the changes in the Mekong River ecosystem.