By Geoinformatics Center
14 May 2025- The Geoinformatics Center (GIC) of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) actively participated in the inauguration of “Mekong – Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum: Advancing Regional Development and Partnerships”. The event was hosted by the Mekong Institute (MI) with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the ROK and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Viet Nam, on May 15, 2025, in Hanoi, Viet Nam. This forum served as a platform to forge new partnerships across public and private sectors, explore ways to scale project outcomes, and identify emerging regional challenges related to economic, social, and environmental sustainability, while ensuring continued impact.
The AIT delegation included Dr. Kittiphon Boonma, Research Specialist at GIC, who is also the Project Implementing Agency (PIA) for the PlasticFlow Mekong Project funded by the Mekong Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF) and managed by Mekong Institute. This project focuses on addressing existing plastic leakage within the waste management system, as well as combating the illegal disposal of plastic waste in four countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Dr. Boonma presented the PlasticFlow Mekong Project’s activities, goals, milestones, and achievements, as well as the areas of implementation, to the forum participants. He also attended an expert consultation for the environmental sector discussing emerging and pressing environmental issues in the Mekong countries, with a focus on plastic monitoring and waste management.
The forum brought together over 200 participants from more than 8 countries including officials from the foreign missions of the Mekong countries and the Republic of Korea (ROK) based in Hanoi, as well as senior officials and focal points of Mekong–ROK Cooperation within the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both the Mekong countries and the ROK. In addition, senior representatives from the line ministries of these countries attended, with a focus on the seven priority sectors of Mekong–ROK Cooperation. The event also welcomed senior officials and project team members from international development partners, as well as impact investors, financiers, and private sector business entities. Project team leaders from MKCF Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) also participated, contributing their insights and experiences in implementing key initiatives under the cooperation framework.
The primary objectives of the forum were to showcase regional cooperation between Mekong countries and the Republic of Korea (RoK) across seven priority sectors and to highlight the achievements and success stories of projects funded by the MKCF. The forum also served as a platform to address emerging sectoral challenges in the region and to identify opportunities for future collaborative initiatives. Additionally, it facilitated discussions on strategies to sustain the outcomes of pilot projects through the promotion of triangular cooperation and supported the development of practical, actionable approaches to advance sustainable development at both sectoral and regional levels.
GICs participation in the forum underscores its dedication to advancing regional cooperation and environmental sustainability across the Mekong countries and ROK.
