Mekong Dialogue offers timely forum for enhancing regional stability and cooperation
The Asia New Zealand Foundation in partnership with Thailand’s Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS Thailand) will convene the Mekong Dialogue in Vientiane, Laos, from 3-5 September, as part of the Foundation’s Track II programme.
The Foundation's Track II diplomacy programme supports informal diplomacy with think-tanks in Asia on topical issues and challenges facing the region.
The Foundation’s chief executive Suzannah Jessep will lead the New Zealand delegation, which includes senior foreign relations, trade, defence, and climate change specialists.
“The Mekong region stands at a critical crossroads. Geopolitical rivalry, rising protectionism, and weakening multilateralism are reshaping the region’s economic, political and security environment. Extreme weather events, natural disasters and resource pressures are adding further complexity," says Jessep.
"At the same time, Myanmar’s civil conflict, alongside pressing transnational challenges such as trafficking, demand thoughtful, collective responses,” she adds.
The Dialogue is being held in person for the first time since 2019, after a pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. Jessep says bringing people back together in person allows relationships to deepen in a way that only face-to-face engagement can achieve. Resuming these dialogues is an opportunity to build on the progress made before the pandemic and ensure cooperation across the region continues to grow stronger.
The delegation will join their regional counterparts in discussions on geopolitical rivalry, the role of ASEAN, the implications of Myanmar’s ongoing crisis, Thai-Cambodia border tensions and broader regional cooperation.
“The Dialogue is an important opportunity for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from both the Mekong region and New Zealand to come together, discuss shared challenges, and generate actionable insights and recommendations for governments and regional organisations,” says Jessep.
In addition to the dialogue in Laos, the New Zealand delegation will spend a day in Bangkok participating in local speaking events and holding meetings with a range of experts, officials and other senior contacts.
The Foundation’s director of research and engagement, Dr Julia Macdonald, says: “This is a timely trip, particularly in light of recent events in the region. It provides us with a first-hand view of both the challenges and opportunities, and the chance to share those insights back home when we return.”
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For more information, contact: Taniya Scott, director communications and media | Asia New Zealand Foundation | email: [email protected]
Asia New Zealand Foundation delegation:
Suzannah Jessep – chief executive, Asia New Zealand Foundation
Dr Tracey Epps – trade law specialist
Dr Julia Macdonald – director of Research and Engagement programme, Asia New Zealand Foundation
John McKinnon – chair, New Zealand China Council
Mike Swain – former senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Defence, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Simon Watt – barrister and specialist in climate change and sustainability law
For more information, contact:
Taniya Scott
Director communications and media
Asia New Zealand Foundation
Email: [email protected]
