A first of its kind, the dialogue is slated for Aug. 19 and 20, hosted online by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat, in cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat, the MRC said in a statement.

The dialogue is expected to gather senior officials, technical experts, and partners from the Mekong and other ASEAN countries to exchange new ideas and identify areas for collaboration to strengthen regional and local capacities in addressing water scarcity, water pollution, and disaster risks like flooding and drought.

An interactive session will be organized on the sidelines of the event to stimulate dialogue on youth-led, idea-driven advocacy for water security in the Mekong region.

Over 100 participants from ASEAN member states, development partners, and regional and international organizations are expected to join the discussion.

The first-of-its kind ASEAN–MRC Water Security Dialogue is expected to become a biennial event, with the second scheduled for 2023.