The first BDS 2011-2015 and the second BDS 2016-2020 set out how the Member Countries used, managed and conserved the Mekong’s natural resources by providing an integrated basin perspective for the assessment and improvement of national plans and projects to ensure an acceptable balance between economic and environment outcomes that benefit the basin countries and people.

Unlike the previous editions with a timeframe of five years, the BDS 2021-2030 is prepared for a ten-year period and focuses on the entire Mekong River Basin as the current water security issues can be addressed effectively only at the basin scale through cooperation between all six basin countries and their cooperative bodies. The Strategy covers all water and related sectors and integrates the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relevant to water resources management and internalises a ‘gender and vulnerability’ approach to account for intersectional inequity and the different dimensions of vulnerability.

This BDS 2021-2030 sets out five strategic priorities to enable Mekong countries to address emerging challenges and improve the overall state of the basin. These strategic priorities are: