Laos to go ahead with Luang Prabang dam project despite warnings

The government of Laos has officially informed the intergovernmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) of its plan to build a new dam in Luang Prabang, despite warnings about the project’s environmental effects.

“We confirm that the MRC Secretariat has received the notification from the Lao government on the Luang Prabang Hydropower Project in which the government has submitted to undergo the six-month Prior Consultation process,” the commission said in an email to Al Jazeera.

The notification was sent to MRC, an agency that works with regional governments to manage the development and resources of the Mekong River, on July 31.

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Andrew Nachemson