The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is an intergovernmental organization established as a legal institution to promote regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River Basin. It was created on April 5, 1995, by the signing of the Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin (the 1995 Mekong Agreement) by its four member countries: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The MRC succeeded the Mekong Committee, which was set up in 1957 under the auspices of the United Nations to explore the potential for hydropower, irrigation, and flood control. The problem it was created to solve was the need for joint management of shared water resources to ensure their sustainable development and equitable utilization among the riparian states.
The MRC works through three permanent bodies: the Council, the Joint Committee, and the Secretariat. A key mechanism is the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA), adopted in November 2003, which requires member countries to notify or consult on planned water development projects that may significantly alter the flow or quality of the Mekong mainstream. The 1995 Mekong Agreement commits the parties to cooperate to protect the environment, natural resources, and ecological balance of the basin, and to utilize the waters in a reasonable and equitable manner (Article 4). The MRC connects to the two upstream countries, the People's Republic of China and Myanmar, which participate as Dialogue Partners.
In recent years, the MRC has focused on strengthening its strategic direction, with the MRC Strategic Plan 2026–2030 focusing on full implementation of the 1995 Mekong Agreement and expanding cooperation with upstream countries. The MRC has also recently approved a revamped river monitoring network (November 2022) and signed a partnership with India (July 2026) to strengthen water security and climate resilience. The core mandate of promoting sustainable development and cooperation, however, has remained the same since the 1995 Agreement.