Developed in partnership with the Stimson Center Southeast Asia program in 2020, The Mekong Matters for America/America Matters for the Mekong project explores the growing relationship between the United States and the five countries of mainland Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam) bound together and geographically defined by the Mekong River. The Mekong’s importance has only grown as the region’s social, economic, and diplomatic ties export the river’s bounty to the United States and the rest of the world.
East-West Center
The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options. The Center’s Washington, DC office focuses on preparing the United States for an era of growing Asia Pacific prominence.
The Center is an independent, public, nonprofit organization with funding from the US government, and additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments in the region.
The views expressed in articles by external contributors are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the East-West Center or any organization with which the author is affiliated.
Our Partners
Stimson Center
The Stimson Center is a nonpartisan policy research center working to protect people, preserve the planet, and promote security & prosperity. Stimson’s award-winning research serves as a roadmap to address borderless threats through concerted action. Our formula is simple: We gather the brightest people to think beyond soundbites, create solutions, and make those solutions a reality. We follow the credo of one of history’s leading statesmen, Henry L. Stimson, in
taking “pragmatic steps toward ideal objectives.” We are practical in our approach and independent in our analysis. Our innovative ideas change the world. The Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center has been active since 2005 and is a thought leader and policy advisor on Mekong security issues and other security and development issues across ASEAN.
Project Staff
Director: Satu Limaye, PhD
Coordinator: Caitlin Brophy
Publication Additional Research and Support: Angelina Gu, Joshua Martelli, Amanda Mei, Kyuyeon Park, Michele Helen Reyes, Matthew Sullivan, Ross Tokola, Peter Valente
Stimson Center Publication Staff: Brian Eyler (Director), Courtney Weatherby (Research Analyst), and Kevin Rutigliano, Alessendro Lee, Daniel Kim, Marc Jaffee (Research Contributors)