Aspects behind differences in two agreements adopted by riparian countries of the Lower Mekong River Basin

Basin countries of the Lower Mekong River Basin in 1996 signed a new agreement about use of the shared water resources, which superseded the previous agreement in 1975. The new agreement is less binding for riparian countries in terms of use of water in the main stream and major tributaries. The difference reflected the changes in socio‐economic and political settings. Following lessons were obtained out of the case: (a) A collaborative scheme may not function as expected when it is established by strong stewardship of donor countries. (b) The pace and character of the negotiation process towards implementation of a collaborative scheme is endogenous to the broader political and economic context of the basin countries. (c) An agreement among basin countries may be sustained only on a delicate balance of economy and political power among riparian states.