CHIANG RAI, 24 February 2017 – ASEAN Ministers and representatives responsible for land, forest fires and haze from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam gathered in northern Thailand today to discuss transboundary haze pollution. At the sixth meeting of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution in the Mekong Sub-Region (6th MSC Mekong), the said officials brought forth the Chiang Rai 2017 Plan of Action which set priorities for the work of the MSC Mekong countries in addressing transboundary haze pollution.

“Following the adoption of the Roadmap on ASEAN Cooperation towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control with Means of Implementation at the 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-12) to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in August 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, it is now time for the implementation to take place, and I am very delighted to learn of the progress made within the Mekong sub-region,” said Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department in his remark.

The MSC Mekong countries have all agreed to set priorities for the sub-region and pledged to work closely with each other and all interested international partners to address transboundary haze pollution.

Click here for the full Media Release of the meeting.