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The East-West Center in Washington invites you to A Report Launch
Strengthening Governance of Transboundary Rivers:
Addressing Challenges in the Mekong Basin
H.E. Atul Keshap
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs,
US Department of State
Representative Col. Ted W. Lieu (CA-33)
Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
United States House of Representatives
H.E. Ha Kim Ngoc
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the United States of America,
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
H.E. Sounry Chum
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States of America,
The Royal Embassy of Cambodia
H.E. Srisodapol Manasvi
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United States of America,
The Royal Thai Embassy
Dr. Satu P. Limaye (Moderator)
Vice President, East-West Center &
Director, East-West Center in Washington
East-West Center in Washington · Release of the Indo-Pacific Conference on Strengthening Governance of Transboundary Rivers Report
During this program, the East-West Center released the Report from the Indo-Pacific Conference on Strengthening Governance of Transboundary Rivers. This webinar featured discussions with US government officials and Southeast Asian ambassadors on the report, which details the findings of the October 2020 Conference that convened partners and stakeholders from across the Indo-Pacific region to share best practices and lessons learned related to the cooperative development and management of transboundary rivers. The engaging and constructive discussion with leading experts, institutions, and opinion leaders drew lessons from experiences of other partners beyond the Indo-Pacific, including from the European Union, to address rising environmental, economic, development, and political challenges in the Mekong River Basin.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Ambassador Atul Keshap is a career senior Foreign Service Officer currently serving as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Across his 25 year career as an American diplomat, Ambassador Keshap has served at postings in India, Morocco, and Guinea, and as United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, as US Senior Official for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and as an Office Director in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs and in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. Ambassador Keshap has negotiated or advanced bilateral and multilateral initiatives at senior levels with counterparts from the European Union, United Nations, Japan, United Kingdom, France, India, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Mexico, Russia, China, Indonesia, Egypt, Morocco, and several other countries in Africa, the Arab world, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prior to his current assignment, Ambassador Keshap served at the Department of Defense as the National Defense University’s Vice Chancellor for the College of International Security Affairs. Earlier in his career, he served as Director for North Africa and Middle East regional affairs on the National Security Council staff in the Executive Office of the President of the United States. In 2018, Ambassador Keshap received one of the State Department’s highest honors, the Distinguished Honor Award, from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in recognition of his leadership in advancing US interests in the Indian Ocean region. He is also the recipient of numerous individual Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards.
Ted W. Lieu represents California’s 33rd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Ted is serving in his third term in Congress and currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He was also elected by his Democratic Colleagues to serve as a Co-Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. Ted is a former active duty officer in the US Air Force and currently serves as a Colonel in the Reserves, stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base. In Congress, Ted has established himself as a leader on the environment; cybersecurity; civil liberties; government ethics and veterans. Ted has been a leader in Congress against ethnic and racial profiling, and discrimination against the LGBT community. He serves as Whip of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Vice Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Cloud Computing Caucus. Ted was first elected in 2014, having taken over the seat of Henry Waxman, who retired after serving in Congress for 40 years. In 2015, Ted was elected president of the Democratic Freshman class by his colleagues. In his first term in Congress, seven pieces of legislation sponsored by Ted were signed into law. This includes bills to provide housing for homeless Veterans and retrofit vacant buildings at the West LA VA campus; combat foreign propaganda and misinformation; and require more stringent cleaning instructions for medical devices. Prior to serving in Congress, Ted was elected to the California State Senate in 2011 and the State Assembly in 2005. Ted's legislative accomplishments include authoring landmark legislation regulating the subprime mortgage industry; a first-in-the-nation ban on gay conversion therapy for children; and a first-in-the-nation ban on the use of tanning beds for minors. Ted fought for California state tax reform that saved small businesses from millions in retroactive taxes, and tax incentives for film and TV production. Ted also co-authored California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act and co-authored the law banning state pension funds from investing in Iran’s nuclear and energy industries. Ted started his elected service as a Member of the Torrance City Council in 2002. Prior to serving on the Council, Ted was a Torrance Environmental Quality Commissioner.
Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was born in 1963. He has served in the diplomatic service since 1988 in different positions and has much experience in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. He was appointed by President Tran Dai Quang as the sixth Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the United States of America in March 2018. He arrived in Washington, D.C. on July 15, 2018 and presented his Credentials to President Donald J. Trump on September 17, 2018. From May 2013 to July 2018, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc served as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in charge of relations with countries in the Americas, especially the United States as well as with the United Nations and other international organizations. From 2011 to 2013, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc held the position of Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director General of Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2008 to 2011, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Director General, Executive Assistant to Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2007 to 2008, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Deputy Director General, Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2004 to 2007, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Viet Nam in Japan. From 2003 to 2004, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Deputy Director General, Office of the Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2002 to 2003, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Assistant Director General, Office of the Ministry and Executive Assistant to Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2001 to 2002, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Head of North America Division, Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1997 to 2000, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Vice Consul, Head of Economic Section, Viet Nam Consulate General in San Francisco, United States. From 1988 to 1997, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Desk Officer, Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam in 1985. He studied Russian in Kiev University, Ukraine from 1986 to 1987 and earned a master degree of International Relations at Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam in 2010.
Ambassador Sounry Chum was born in 1956. He has served in numerous positions concerning foreign affairs since 1980. Since June 2018 he has served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States of America and Ambassador designate of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Mexico. From May 2015 to June 2018, he served as the Undersecretary of State in Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Ambassador Chum served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Commonwealth of Australia and to New Zealand from October 2008 to May 2015. From 2006 to 2008 he served as the Director of Personnel Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. He has also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Russian Federation (2003-2006) and the Republics of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia while in residence in Moscow (2004-2006).
Ambassador Srisodapol Manasvi was born in 1961. He has served in numerous positions concerning foreign affairs since 1987. In 2020 he was nominated to serve as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United States of America. From 2017 to 2020, he served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to the Kingdom of Belgium. Ambassador Manasvi served as the Special Representative of the Chair of the Group of 77 and China for Climate Change in 2016. From 2015 to 2016 he served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to the Republic of Poland. He has also served as the Ambassador an Permanent representative of Thailand to ASEAN in Jakarta (2009-2012). He received his Master of Arts in International Affairs from Columbia University and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Ottawa.
Satu Limaye is Vice President of the East-West Center and the Director of the East-West Center in Washington where he created and now directs the Asia Matters for America initiative and is the founding editor of the Asia Pacific Bulletin. He is also a Senior Advisor at CNA Corp (Center for Naval Analyses) and Senior Fellow on Asia History and Policy at the Foreign Policy Institute at Paul H. Nitze School of International Studies (SAIS). He is a graduate of Georgetown University and received his doctorate from Oxford University (Magdalen College) where he was a George C. Marshall Scholar. Recent publications include: “America’s ‘Pacific Principle’ in an Indivisible Pacific Islands Region,” (Asia-Pacific Bulletin); “Despite Stumbles, America’s Engagement with Southeast Runs Deep,” (Global Asia); Raging Waters: China, India, Bangladesh, and Brahmaputra Water Politics (Marine Corps University Press); and Russia’s Peripheral Relevance to US-Indo Pacific Relations (Center for the National Interest).
The East-West Center in Washington invites you to A Report Launch
Strengthening Governance of Transboundary Rivers:
Addressing Challenges in the Mekong Basin
H.E. Atul Keshap
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs,
US Department of State
Representative Col. Ted W. Lieu (CA-33)
Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
United States House of Representatives
H.E. Ha Kim Ngoc
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the United States of America,
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
H.E. Sounry Chum
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States of America,
The Royal Embassy of Cambodia
H.E. Srisodapol Manasvi
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United States of America,
The Royal Thai Embassy
Dr. Satu P. Limaye (Moderator)
Vice President, East-West Center &
Director, East-West Center in Washington
East-West Center in Washington · Release of the Indo-Pacific Conference on Strengthening Governance of Transboundary Rivers Report
During this program, the East-West Center released the Report from the Indo-Pacific Conference on Strengthening Governance of Transboundary Rivers. This webinar featured discussions with US government officials and Southeast Asian ambassadors on the report, which details the findings of the October 2020 Conference that convened partners and stakeholders from across the Indo-Pacific region to share best practices and lessons learned related to the cooperative development and management of transboundary rivers. The engaging and constructive discussion with leading experts, institutions, and opinion leaders drew lessons from experiences of other partners beyond the Indo-Pacific, including from the European Union, to address rising environmental, economic, development, and political challenges in the Mekong River Basin.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Ambassador Atul Keshap is a career senior Foreign Service Officer currently serving as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Across his 25 year career as an American diplomat, Ambassador Keshap has served at postings in India, Morocco, and Guinea, and as United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, as US Senior Official for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and as an Office Director in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs and in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. Ambassador Keshap has negotiated or advanced bilateral and multilateral initiatives at senior levels with counterparts from the European Union, United Nations, Japan, United Kingdom, France, India, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Mexico, Russia, China, Indonesia, Egypt, Morocco, and several other countries in Africa, the Arab world, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prior to his current assignment, Ambassador Keshap served at the Department of Defense as the National Defense University’s Vice Chancellor for the College of International Security Affairs. Earlier in his career, he served as Director for North Africa and Middle East regional affairs on the National Security Council staff in the Executive Office of the President of the United States. In 2018, Ambassador Keshap received one of the State Department’s highest honors, the Distinguished Honor Award, from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in recognition of his leadership in advancing US interests in the Indian Ocean region. He is also the recipient of numerous individual Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards.
Ted W. Lieu represents California’s 33rd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Ted is serving in his third term in Congress and currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He was also elected by his Democratic Colleagues to serve as a Co-Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. Ted is a former active duty officer in the US Air Force and currently serves as a Colonel in the Reserves, stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base. In Congress, Ted has established himself as a leader on the environment; cybersecurity; civil liberties; government ethics and veterans. Ted has been a leader in Congress against ethnic and racial profiling, and discrimination against the LGBT community. He serves as Whip of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Vice Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Cloud Computing Caucus. Ted was first elected in 2014, having taken over the seat of Henry Waxman, who retired after serving in Congress for 40 years. In 2015, Ted was elected president of the Democratic Freshman class by his colleagues. In his first term in Congress, seven pieces of legislation sponsored by Ted were signed into law. This includes bills to provide housing for homeless Veterans and retrofit vacant buildings at the West LA VA campus; combat foreign propaganda and misinformation; and require more stringent cleaning instructions for medical devices. Prior to serving in Congress, Ted was elected to the California State Senate in 2011 and the State Assembly in 2005. Ted's legislative accomplishments include authoring landmark legislation regulating the subprime mortgage industry; a first-in-the-nation ban on gay conversion therapy for children; and a first-in-the-nation ban on the use of tanning beds for minors. Ted fought for California state tax reform that saved small businesses from millions in retroactive taxes, and tax incentives for film and TV production. Ted also co-authored California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act and co-authored the law banning state pension funds from investing in Iran’s nuclear and energy industries. Ted started his elected service as a Member of the Torrance City Council in 2002. Prior to serving on the Council, Ted was a Torrance Environmental Quality Commissioner.
Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was born in 1963. He has served in the diplomatic service since 1988 in different positions and has much experience in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. He was appointed by President Tran Dai Quang as the sixth Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the United States of America in March 2018. He arrived in Washington, D.C. on July 15, 2018 and presented his Credentials to President Donald J. Trump on September 17, 2018. From May 2013 to July 2018, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc served as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in charge of relations with countries in the Americas, especially the United States as well as with the United Nations and other international organizations. From 2011 to 2013, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc held the position of Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director General of Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2008 to 2011, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Director General, Executive Assistant to Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2007 to 2008, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Deputy Director General, Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2004 to 2007, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Economic Counsellor, Embassy of Viet Nam in Japan. From 2003 to 2004, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Deputy Director General, Office of the Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2002 to 2003, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Assistant Director General, Office of the Ministry and Executive Assistant to Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2001 to 2002, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Head of North America Division, Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1997 to 2000, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Vice Consul, Head of Economic Section, Viet Nam Consulate General in San Francisco, United States. From 1988 to 1997, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc was Desk Officer, Department of Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam in 1985. He studied Russian in Kiev University, Ukraine from 1986 to 1987 and earned a master degree of International Relations at Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam in 2010.
Ambassador Sounry Chum was born in 1956. He has served in numerous positions concerning foreign affairs since 1980. Since June 2018 he has served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States of America and Ambassador designate of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Mexico. From May 2015 to June 2018, he served as the Undersecretary of State in Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Ambassador Chum served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Commonwealth of Australia and to New Zealand from October 2008 to May 2015. From 2006 to 2008 he served as the Director of Personnel Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. He has also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Russian Federation (2003-2006) and the Republics of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia while in residence in Moscow (2004-2006).
Ambassador Srisodapol Manasvi was born in 1961. He has served in numerous positions concerning foreign affairs since 1987. In 2020 he was nominated to serve as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United States of America. From 2017 to 2020, he served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to the Kingdom of Belgium. Ambassador Manasvi served as the Special Representative of the Chair of the Group of 77 and China for Climate Change in 2016. From 2015 to 2016 he served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to the Republic of Poland. He has also served as the Ambassador an Permanent representative of Thailand to ASEAN in Jakarta (2009-2012). He received his Master of Arts in International Affairs from Columbia University and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Ottawa.
Satu Limaye is Vice President of the East-West Center and the Director of the East-West Center in Washington where he created and now directs the Asia Matters for America initiative and is the founding editor of the Asia Pacific Bulletin. He is also a Senior Advisor at CNA Corp (Center for Naval Analyses) and Senior Fellow on Asia History and Policy at the Foreign Policy Institute at Paul H. Nitze School of International Studies (SAIS). He is a graduate of Georgetown University and received his doctorate from Oxford University (Magdalen College) where he was a George C. Marshall Scholar. Recent publications include: “America’s ‘Pacific Principle’ in an Indivisible Pacific Islands Region,” (Asia-Pacific Bulletin); “Despite Stumbles, America’s Engagement with Southeast Runs Deep,” (Global Asia); Raging Waters: China, India, Bangladesh, and Brahmaputra Water Politics (Marine Corps University Press); and Russia’s Peripheral Relevance to US-Indo Pacific Relations (Center for the National Interest).
