USAID, NASA and ADPC officially launch SERVIR-Mekong

We are pleased to announce that the formal launch of SERVIR-Mekong took place on August 31, 2015 at the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) office in Bangkok, Thailand.

SERVIR-Mekong is a joint initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and ADPC.

The launch event was presided over by Ms. Beth Paige, Director of USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia, and Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator. The presence of high-level US Government officials at the launch marks the importance of SERVIR-Mekong. ADPC's Board of Trustees was represented by Dr. Bhichit Rattakul, who emphasized the importance of bringing the possibilities of space science and technology to solve problems on Earth.

SERVIR-Mekong is a hub for accessing publicly available satellite data on the Lower Mekong sub-region that is comprised of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand and Vietnam. Tools and applications that are based on the data have also been created to address pressing needs in the region. For the first time, these satellite data and tools will be easily accessible through a website.

The SERVIR-Mekong hub is part of the SERVIR global network of specialized technical resource centers in over 30 countries. Representatives of other SERVIR hubs will be present at the launch event. They include Dr. Hussein Omar Farah of SERVIR-Eastern & Southern Africa / African Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development, and Dr. David Molden of SERVIR-Himalaya / International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.

To follow the event as it unfolded on Twitter, search for #SERVIRMekong or read it on Storify.  To see photos of the launch, look at this album.