Donors raise concerns about Xayaburi dam on Mekong River

International donors to the Mekong River Commission on Thursday raised concerns about Laos' decision to go ahead with the Xayaburi Dam on the Mekong and the commission's refusal to invite the World Wildlife Fund to its meeting.

"We remain concerned about the social impacts and environmental risks associated with the construction of the Xayaburi hydropower plant in Laos," the donors said in their Joint Development Partners Statement to the inter-governmental mekong River Commission (MRC), which held its annual ministerial meeting in Luang Prabang, Laos, on Wednesday and Thursday.

The donors, who contribute the lion’s share of the MRC’s annual budget, also said they were "highly concerned that WWF, a partner organisation which has participated in MRC council meetings since 2001, have not been invited to this meeting." Laos in November decided to go ahead with the 3.5-billion-dollar Xayaburi hydropower project, a joint venture between the Lao government and Thai firms, despite requests from MRC members for a comprehensive environmental impact study.//DPA