strategic plan 2011 2015 approved by council 25012011

8/3/2019 Strategic Plan 2011 2015 Approved by Council 25012011

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MekongRiverCommission

STRATEGICPLAN

20112015

MRCSecretariat


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015

NoteforthereaderThisdocumentpresents theMekongRiverCommissionsStrategicPlan for the fiscalyearsof2011

through2015.ThisStrategicPlannotonlyhastheconsensusoftheMRCsMemberCountriesbutalso

reflects, to the greatestextentpossible, the feedback received from our stakeholders, on the key

challengesandopportunities facing theMekongRiverBasinand thosecollectiveactionsneeded to

addressthechallengesandcapitaliseontheopportunities.

The multistakeholder and Member Countryowned process for the preparation of this Plan is

outlinedbelow.

Phase1:Datacollectionandcapacitybuilding

ThekeychallengesintheMekongRiverBasinandthestrategicdirectionsfortheMRCStrategicPlan

20112015weredefinedthroughaseriesofnationalconsultationsorganisedbyMemberCountries

with assistance from the MRC Secretariat, and by an initial consultation with a wide range of

stakeholdersonthePlanformulationattheBasinDevelopmentPlanMultistakeholderForum.

October2009February2010:

BDPStakeholderForum(October2009) The16

th

Meeting

of

the

MRC

Council

(December

2009)

Nationalconsultations(December2009February2010)

Afternational consultationswith lineagencies andother key stakeholders, theMemberCountries

preparednationalpaperstoprovideinputstotheStrategicPlan(FebruaryMarch2010).

Atechnicalpaperontheorganisationalstructuresandfinancialarrangementsofother international

riverbasinorganisationswascommissionedtoprovideacomparativeanalysisandlessonslearnedfor

theMRCintheformulationofitsnewstrategicplan.

Phase2:FormulationoftheStrategicPlan

During the formulation process there were extensive consultations with various groups of MRC

stakeholders, namely the Member Countries and their agencies, the Dialogue Partners and the

DevelopmentPartners.

There

were

also

consultations

with

other

MRC

stakeholders.

These

included

NGOs,civilsocietyorganisations,andtheacademiaandresearchinstitutes.Duringthisprocess,MRC

alsocalledforstakeholderinputstoadraftoftheStrategicPlanonitswebsite.

MarchDecember2010:

FirstRegionalConsultationwithMemberCountries(March) TheThirtyfirstMeetingoftheMRCJointCommittee(March) NationalconsultationsinthefourMemberCountries(June,November) InformalDonorMeeting(June) SecondRegionalConsultationwithMemberCountries(August) TheThirtysecondMeetingoftheMRCJointCommittee(August) RegionalStakeholderDialogue(September) Joint Contact Group Meeting between Member Countries and representatives of MRC

DevelopmentPartners(September)

FirstmeetingoftheMRCJointCommitteeWorkingGroup(October) TheSpecialSessionoftheMRCJointCommittee(October) SecondmeetingoftheMRCJointCommitteeWorkingGroup(November) ThePreparatoryMeetingoftheMRCJointCommitteeandtheSeventeenthMeetingofthe

MRCCouncil(December)


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Acknowledgements

TheMekongRiverCommissionStrategicPlan20112015istheresultofafullyearof

consultationswithawiderangeofMRCstakeholders.Theseconsultationsbegan in

October2009, continued through toNovember2010and endedwithapprovalby

theMRC

Council

in

December

2010.

The

Mekong

River

Commission

would

like

to

acknowledgeourgratitude for the support,guidanceand valuable inputs received

from the Member Countries and their agencies, the MRC Dialogue Partners and

Development Partners, and the representatives of civil society during the

formulationprocessofthisStrategicPlan.

TheMRCalsogratefullyacknowledgesthefinancialsupportforthedevelopmentof

the Strategic Plan received from the Australian Agency for International

Development (AusAID), Denmark, Finland, LAgence Franaise de Dveloppement

(AFP), Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), and Swedens

InternationalDevelopment

Agency

(SIDA).


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MessagefromtheChairmanoftheMRCCouncilfor20102011


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TABLEOFCONTENTSAbbreviations and acronyms i

Visions and Mission ii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Scope of the Strategic Plan 11.2 MRC Mandate under the 1995 Mekong Agreement 21.3 Approaches of past Strategic Plans 21.4 Foundations of future Mekong cooperation 31.5 IWRM-based Basin Development Strategy 6

CHAPTER II EMERGING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLEMEKONG DEVELOPMENT, AND THE ROLE OF THE MRC 9

THE MEKONG CONTEXT 9Population and livelihoods 9Human development context 9The economies of the Lower Mekong Basin 10The ecological health of the Mekong River 11MAIN DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 122.1 Climate change 132.2 Flood and drought risk management 132.3 Mekong mainstream dams and water developments on tributaries 142.4 Intensified irrigated agriculture 15THE ROLE AND CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE MRC IN THE CHANGING MEKONG

CONTEXT 15

2.5 Key elements of the MRCs role 162.6 MRC core functions 182.7 Principles underlying the Strategic Plan 20112015 19

CHAPTER III STRATEGIC PLAN 2011-2015 23

3.1 Basin Vision 233.2 MRC Vision 233.3 MRC Mission 243.4 The Strategic Goals 24

CHAPTER IV STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 47

COORDINATED PROGRAMME PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT 47INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS 48

4.1 Roles and responsibilities of the MRC Secretariat (MRCS), the Secretariats of the NMCs(NMCSs) and national Line Agencies 484.2 MRCS organisational structure permanent co-hosted locations (OSP and OSV) 494.3 Regional coordination 50FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK 514.4 Funding MRC core functions - towards financial self sustainability 514.5 Funding approach and financial roadmap 524.6 Towards increased aid effectiveness of the MRC 54HUMAN RESOURCES AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 554.7 Approach to human resources and capacity development for 2011-2015 55APPROACH FOR THE TRANSITION TOWARDS DECENTRALISED MODALITY OF MRC

CORE RBM FUNCTIONS 564.8 Relevant factors for guiding the decentralisation process 56

4.9 Phased transition towards a new way of operating 56STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT 58


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RISKS AND RISK MANAGEMENT 58

CHAPTER V PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, REPORTING AND UPDATING 62

5.1 Performance management in the MRC: an overview 625.2 Monitoring and reporting 635.3 Independent reviews 64

Annex 1 Summary of MRC Programmes 66

Annex 2 Description of the core functions of the MRC 71

Annex 3 Strategic partnerships and regional initiatives 77

LISTOFFIGURESFigure1:Goals20112015andResultsChain ........................................................................................25 Figure2:PrimarylinkagesbetweentheMRCcorefunctionsandstrategicgoals..................................29 Figure3:MRCSecretariatOrganisationalStructure ..............................................................................50

Figure4:

MRC

Budget

Structure

(from

2011) .........................................................................................51

LISTOFTABLESTable1:SummaryoftheapproachesofpastStrategicPlans ------------------------------------------------- 2Table2:Priorityareasofaction(fromFirstMRCSummitHuaHinDeclaration,2010) -------------------- 4Table3:IntegratedWaterResourcesManagementdefinitionintheMekongRiverBasincontext------ 8Table4:StrategicGoalsandOutcomes20112015 -----------------------------------------------------------26


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015i

Abbreviations and acronyms

AIP AgricultureandIrrigationProgramme

BDP BasinDevelopmentPlanProgramme

CCAI

ClimateChange

Adaptation

Initiative

CEO ChiefExecutiveOfficer

CF CoreFunction

DMP DroughtManagementProgramme

EIA EnvironmentalImpactAssessment

END EnvironmentDivision

EP EnvironmentProgramme

FAS FinanceandAdministrationSection

FMMP FloodManagementandMitigationProgramme

FP FisheriesProgramme

GMS GreaterMekongSubregion

HDI HumanDevelopmentIndex

HRS HumanResourcesSection

IAI InitiativeforASEANIntegration

ICBP

IntegratedCapacity

Building

Programme

ICCS InternationalCooperationandCommunicationSection

IKMP InformationandKnowledgeManagementProgramme

ISH InitiativeonSustainableHydropower

IWRM IntegratedWaterResourceManagement

JC JointCommittee

LDC LeastDevelopedCountries

LMB LowerMekongBasin

MDG UnitedNationsMillenniumDevelopmentGoals

MIWRMP MekongIntegratedWaterResourceManagementProject

MOU MemorandumofUnderstanding

MRC MekongRiverCommission

MRCIS MekongRiverCommissionsInformationSystem

MRCS

Mekong

River

Commission

Secretariat

NAP NavigationProgramme

NMC NationalMekongCommittee

NMCS NationalMekongCommitteeSecretariat

OEB OperatingExpensesBudget

OSP OfficeoftheMRCSecretariatinPhnomPenh,Cambodia

OSV OfficeoftheMRCSecretariatinVientiane,LaoPDR

PDIES ProceduresforDataandInformationExchangeandSharing

PMFM ProceduresfortheMaintenanceofFlowsontheMainstream

PMS PerformanceManagementSystem

PNPCA ProceduresforNotification,PriorConsultationandAgreement

PWQ ProceduresforWaterQuality

PWUM ProceduresforWaterUseMonitoring

RBC RiverBasinCommittee

RBM

RiverBasin

Management

RBO RiverBasinOrganisation

SEA StrategicEnvironmentalAssessment

SOB StateoftheBasin

TbEIA TransboundaryEnvironmentalImpactAssessment

TCU TechnicalCoordinationUnit

WMTF WaterManagementTrustFund

WSC WatershedCommittee

WSMP WatershedManagementProject


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015ii

Visions and Mission

VISIONfortheMekongRiverBasin

Aneconomically

prosperous,

socially

just

and

environmentally

sound

Mekong

River

Basin

VISIONfortheMekongRiverCommissionAworldclass,financiallysecure,internationalriverbasinorganisationservingthe

Mekongcountriestoachievethebasinvision

MISSIONoftheMekongRiverCommissionTopromoteandcoordinatesustainablemanagementanddevelopmentofwaterand

relatedresourcesforthecountriesmutualbenefitandthepeopleswellbeing

TheVision for theMekongRiverBasin,and theVisionandMissionof theMekong

River Commission formulated in 1999 when the first MRC Strategic Plan was

developedremainrelevanttoday.


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015iv

October, 2010. How this prior consultation process is taken forward by the MRC

togetherwiththeMemberCountriesunderthefacilitationandadvisoryroleofthe

MRC, will set an important precedent for other proposed LMB mainstream

developmentscurrentlyinthepipeline;someofwhichareexpectedtobesubmitted

totheMRCduringthisStrategicPlanperiod.

Plansforirrigationdevelopmenttogetherwiththevarioushydropowerprojectswill

have a significant effect on the use and consumption of the Basin resources. For

example, intensifieddroughtrisksmay leadtotherevivalofsomecountryplansto

utilisewaterfromtheMekongmainstreamtocomplementnationalapproachesfor

themitigationofdroughtimpacts.

The growth in intensive agriculture required to meet the increasing demand for

agricultural products will result in an increased demand for water while the

accompanying increased use of pesticides will endanger both water quality and

biodiversity.

MRCsroleandcorefunctions

The longterm vision of the MRC suggests its role will be promoting the

harmonisation of benefits shared among the Member Countries, monitoring the

environmental health, and undertaking environmental and social impact

assessments,and,whereneeded,strategicimpactassessments.

Playing a direct role in certain areas such as fisheriesbased livelihoods and

preventionoflossesfromfloods,theMRCisabletoinfluencetheoverallobjectives

ofbasin

management

towards

pro

poor

outcomes

by

providing

policy

and

strategic

advice.

CoreRiverBasinManagementFunctionsarecentraltodefiningtheroleoftheMRC

inboththeshort and longterm.TheycoverthefullrangeofMRCsmandate,and

helpmovethediscussionbeyondtheprevailingshorttermemphasisontimebound

programmes.

ThefourcategoriesofMRCcorefunctionscomprise:

SecretariatAdministrativeandManagementFunctions RiverBasinManagementFunctions

(1)Dataacquisition,exchangeandmonitoring

(2)Analysis,modellingandassessment

(3)Planningsupport

(4)Forecasting,warningandemergencyresponse

(5)ImplementingMRCProcedures

(6)Promotingdialogueandcommunication

(7)Reportinganddissemination

CapacityBuildingandToolsDevelopmentFunctions

Consulting

and

Advisory

Services


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015v

ThisStrategicPlanperiodwillbeatransitionperiodtowardsfull implementationof

itscorefunctionsandanewmodalityofimplementation.

PrinciplesunderlyingtheStrategicPlan20112015

UnderlyingthegoalsandactionssetoutinthisStrategicPlanarecertainvaluesand

principlesof

sustainable

development

shared

by

the

Member

Countries.

They

include:

1. Continuing the comprehensive implementation of IWRM so that transboundarywatergovernancebecomesmore integratedand responsive thus

ensuringequitable sharingof benefitsandminimising risksassociated with

anydevelopmentinterventions.

2. Stimulatingpropoordevelopment:TheMRCprovidesguidanceforbalanceddevelopmentandequitableutilisationofBasinwaterand relatedresources

withmediumtolongtermimpactsonpovertyalleviationandenvironmental

sustainability.

3. Protectingtheenvironment:Inadditiontoprovidingarobustunderstandingand knowledge of the Basin environment, environmental monitoring and

management capabilities, theMRCwill respond to the transboundary and

basinwidechallenges toassesspotentialenvironmental impactsofplanned

developmentsintheBasin.

4. Dealing with climate change effects: Adaptation and coping with climatechange is a regional priority. The MRC aims to provide a platform for

knowledgesharingand informationexchangetostrengthenprotectionfrom

andadaptationtothechangesintheMekongenvironmentandclimate.

5. Achieving country ownership towards financial autonomy by 2030: Asstated

by

the

Heads

of

Government

of

the

MRC

Member

Countries

at

the

First MRC Summit, MRC core functions will be fully financed by Member

Countriesby2030.A roadmap to initiate this transitionwillbeprepared in

thefirstyearofthisStrategicPlan.

6. ClosingthegaptheIntegrationagenda:Thedifferentdevelopmentlevelsandcapacitygapsamong theMemberCountriesrequireprioritised funding

and capacity building consistent with the approach of the Association of

SoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN).

7. Takinga Wholeofbasinapproach: Cooperation with the upper ripariancountries is crucial for the sustainable management of the Mekong River

Basin.More

comprehensive

cooperation

with

the

MRC

Dialogue

Partners,

ChinaandMyanmar,willimprovethemanagementofthewholeBasin.

8. Enhancing stakeholder participation and gender mainstreaming:Transparent basinwide dialogue together with intensified and structured

public participation is needed to realise the full benefits of IWRM and

effective Basin management. Mainstreaming a gender perspective in MRC

developmentefforts,with inputs fromandequalparticipationofbothmen

and women at all levels, ensures that MRC programmesbenefit both men

andwomenequally.

9. Promoting transparency and openness: Transparency and opennesscontinue

to

be

improved

through

MRC

efforts

in

communicating

with

its


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015vi

stakeholdersand implementationof theMRCCommunicationStrategyand

PolicyonDisclosureofData,InformationandKnowledgeadoptedin2009.

10.Encouraging aid effectiveness and donor harmonisation: Improving aideffectivenessanddonorharmonisationaimstobettercoordinateassistance

and syntheses amongst the Development Partners for efficiency and

synergies.

11.Building strategic partnerships with other regional initiatives and otherinternational river basin organisations: Building partnerships with other

regional initiatives optimises benefits and minimises risks of waterrelated

conflicts. Cooperation with other international river basin organisations

throughtechnicalexchanges,capacitybuildingandsharingofbestpractices

in dealing with the complex issues of managing transboundary rivers is

beneficial.

StrategicGoals20112015

TheMRC

Goals

for

2011

2015,

formulated

in

alignment

with

the

organisations

two

mainfocusareasfortheperiodofthisStrategicPlan,are:

support for the implementation of the IWRMbased BasinDevelopmentStrategytoaddresstheurgentneedsandprioritiesfor

the integrated management of water and related resources of the

MekongRiverBasintowards2030;and

transition towards the implementation of the MRC core functionsandincreasedMemberCountrycontributionstothedeliveryofthese

tasks.

Theframework

of

this

Strategic

Plan

2011

2015

comprises

along

term

goal

supportedbyanoverarching5yearGoal,fourSpecificGoalsandoneOrganisational

Goalforachievementinthenextfiveyears.

ThisStrategicPlan20112015embodiesamoreoutcomeorientedfocuswitheachof

theStrategicGoalsaccompaniedbyasetofoutcomes, implementationtargetsand

indicators forperformancemanagementandevaluation.Priorityactionstoachieve

eachStrategicGoalarealsooutlined.


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015vii

The Goals of this Strategic Plan 20112015 emphasise the continuation of the

importantroleoftheMRCinprovidingsupporttoitsMemberCountriesforthefull

implementationof IWRMandofMRCcore functions,and, inparticular, the seven

RiverBasinManagementFunctionsandrelatedcapacitybuilding.

Strategicplanimplementation:Thecorefunctionsapproach

Akey

emphasis

and

focus

of

the

implementation

of

this

Strategic

Plan

is

to

manage

the continuing and gradual transition of the MRC so that, beginning in 2011 and

graduallyoverthenext20years,theMRCMemberCountrieswilldirectlyimplement

andfinancecertainselectedcorefunctions.

Coordinatedprogrammeplanningandmanagement:TheMRCprogrammesremain

themainvehicle for the fulfilmentof theMRCMissionand the implementationof

MRCcorefunctions.AsignificantchangeinthisStrategicPlanisamorecoordinated

approachtowardsachievementofbasinmanagementobjectivesthroughacommon

focus on core functions, and new working arrangements building on recent

experienceand

structured

cooperation.

Prioritisation

of

the

linkages

between

MRC


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015viii

core function implementationwithMRCprogrammesandprogrammeplanning for

20112015hasbeenalignedwiththisStrategicPlanandthe5yearplanningcycle.

Linkagesbetweennationalandregionalefforts:To improve the linkagesbetween

the MRC programmes and Member Country agencies and prepare for

decentralisation,

the

MRC

will

further

explore

existing

and

new

institutional

mechanismsfortheimplementationofthecoreRiverBasinManagementFunctions.

Fundingapproach:Theapproachof thisStrategicPlan20112015 initiatesgreater

Member Country financing and sets the foundation for overall work programme

support as a flexible basket funding mechanism to implement the MRC core

functions in the future. The MRC Water Management Trust Fund (WMTF)

establishedin2005providesonesuchmechanism.

As the organisation focus moves beyond the development of tools and the

establishmentof

databases

to

playing

agreater

role

in

coordination

and

management,theWorkProgrammeBudgetisprojectedtograduallydecreasein

size to a level such that financing will be wholly supported by the Member

Countries in 20 years. This will not be fully realised during this Strategic Plan

cycle.

ChangestotheMRCbudgetterminologywillbe introduced in2011 inorder to

demonstrategreaterclarity inbudgetallocationandfundingsources.Thesewill

reflect the strategic direction of the MRC in the implementation of its core

functionsandenablebetterreportingofthegradualincreaseinMemberCountry

financialcontributions

to

the

organisation.

MemberCountrycontributions:TheGovernmentcontributionsfromeachMember

CountrytotheWorkProgrammeBudgetwilldependontheeachcountrysfinancial

status and will need to reflect the ASEAN Integration Agenda. Various alternative

approaches will be examined as part of the MRC Transition Roadmap. These will

include variable levels of contribution and direct bilateral assistance to individual

countriestosupporttheircontributiontoregionalactivities.

The future size of the MRC Secretariat will be determined by the scale and

sourcesof

funding

for

both

the

Corporate

Services

Budget

and

Work

Programme

Budget,andbythelongtermfinancialsustainabilityoftheMRC.Thisrequiresan

extensiveanalysisofwhichandwhenspecificcorefunctionscanbetransferred

to the Member Country agencies. This analysis and resulting roadmap will be

completedbytheendof2011.

Projections of future budget needs are expected to be clearer by the end of

2011,atwhich time theexisting formula forMemberCountrycontributions to

theMRCwillbereconsideredtodetermineifanychangesarenecessarytomeet

the original Member Country pledges of a fully selffinanced MRC Corporate

Services

Budget

(formerly

the

Regular

Budget)

by

2014.


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015ix

Aideffectiveness:ThestrengthenedownershipoftheMRCbyitsMemberCountries

is expected to improve alignment and harmonisation of aid by decreasing the

relianceontheDevelopmentPartnersthroughconcentratingeffortsonfundingthe

core functions and a gradual move to financial sustainability. Discussions on

enhanced donor harmonisation offer the opportunity to increase MRC aid

effectiveness.Since

conventional

support

from

donor

agencies

to

the

MRC

has

been channelled through MRC programmes, steps towards the harmonisation of

programmelevelsupportwillbeacceleratedduringthisStrategicPlancycle.

Human resources and capacity development: The human resources and capacity

developmentplanwillbealignedwiththesevenriverbasinmanagementfunctions

and will target gaps in the National Mekong Committee Secretariats (NMCSs),

respective line agencies and the MRC Secretariat (MRCS). A detailed competency

needsanalysisandassessmentforeachMemberCountrywillbeprepared.

Approachfor

the

transition:

In

the

long

term,

the

MRCS

will

have

afacilitation,

coordinationandadvisoryrole inthemanagementoftheMekongRiverBasinand

willprovidetechnicalassistanceofregionalandbasinwidedimensions.

Threemainfactorshavebeen identifiedfordeterminingwhichactivitiescanbe

decentralised and which should remain under MRCS implementation: (1)

Impartiality,(2)Nationalcompetencies,and(3)Financialcapability.

Theapproach for the longtermVision isphased,and isonewhereatransition

period is needed to prepare the MRC and its Member Countries for a new

implementationmodality,

and

where

aroadmap

for

the

change

is

calibrated

with

acleartimelineandmilestonesfornecessarysteps.

Performancemanagement,monitoringandevaluation

The MRC uses monitoring, evaluation and performance assessments at various

levels.ProgressmadetowardstheBasinVisionismonitoredthroughtheStateofthe

BasinReportproducedevery fiveyearswhileprogress inachieving theMRCGoals

andoutcomessetoutintheStrategicPlanisassessedandupdatedregularlythrough

MRCAnnualPerformanceReportswith links toperformancemonitoringreportsof

the MRC Programmes. Staff performance in contributing to the MRC outcomes is

assessedthrough

individual

Performance

Appraisal

Reviews.


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MRCSTRATEGICPLAN20112015 Page2

1.2 MRCMandateunderthe1995MekongAgreement

The 1995 Mekong Agreement provides the legal mandate of the Mekong River

Commission. It defines the scope of the work and cooperation related to

coordinated andjoint planning for balanced and sociallyjust development in the

Mekong

River

Basin

while

protecting

the

environment

and

maintaining

the

ecological

balance.

The Agreement also sets out a framework for the achievement of the strategic

objectivesof IWRM, recognising thatdevelopmentdecisions by sectoragencies in

thesovereignripariancountriesoftheMekongRiverBasinmayhavetransboundary

consequences,andthattheMRCasanintergovernmentalriverbasinorganisationis

reliantontheendorsementofitsapproachesbyitsMemberCountries.

Article 1 of the Agreement calls for cooperation in all fields of development,

utilization, management and conservation of water and related resources to

optimize themultipleuseandmutualbenefitsandminimize theharmfuleffects,

while Article 2 charges the MRC with the responsibility of formulating a Basin

DevelopmentPlan for thedevelopmentof the fullpotentialof theMekongRiver

Basin waters which is grounded on protection of the environment, natural

resources,aquatic lifeandconditions,andecologicalbalanceof theMekongRiver

Basin (Article 3). Article 4 recognises that any Basin Development Plan should be

based on respect for sovereign equality and territorial integrity while Article 7

ensurestherightofeachcountry todevelopprojects,providedthat theycauseno

harmtoothers.

Ultimately,the

objective

of

cooperation

among

Member

Countries

is

to

promote

an

optimalandwellbalanceddevelopmentof theBasinwhileensuring theequitable

sharing of benefits among all users of Basin water and related resources and

preventing any harmful effects from hindering the continued functioning of the

Mekong River systems and soensuring the continuation of themultigenerational

benefitsthattheMekongRiverBasinbringstoallitspeople(Article1).

1.3 ApproachesofpastStrategicPlans

AlthoughtheMRCVisionandMissionstatementshaveremainedrelevantsincethe

first Strategic Plan, what has evolved in subsequent Strategic Plans is the re

orientationofthefocusofMRCworkareastobetterfulfiltheMissionandtomoveforwardtoamorecomprehensiveimplementationofthe1995MekongAgreement.

Table1:SummaryoftheapproachesofpastStrategicPlans

19992003

Projectapproach:Direction

wasorganisedaroundsector

programmesandprojects.

20012005

Programmeapproach:Ashiftin

strategicdirectionwiththefocus

movingtowardsabasinwide

andprogrammeapproach.

20062010

Strategicgoalswerereoriented

towardssupporttopropoor

development.


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MRCinterventionswere

focusedatprojectlevel.

MRCinterventionswerethrough

theprovisionofpolicyand

technicaladvicefromabasin

wideperspective.

EachNMChaditsownStrategic

Plan20012005.

Ahighprioritywasgivento

knowledgegeneration.

CooperationbetweentheMRC

andChinaondatasharingduring

floodseasonsbeganin2002.

Updatedprogrammestructure

inacrosscuttingprogramme

andsectorprogrammematrix,

underpinnedbytheBasin

DevelopmentPlanprocess.

Engagementwith

civil

society

andtheprivatesector

1.4 FoundationsoffutureMekongcooperation

Cooperationin

the

coordinated

planning

of

the

Mekong

countries

has

along

history,

datingback to theestablishmentof theMekongCommitteeunder theauspicesof

theUnitedNations in1957.The1995MekongAgreementwith itscommitment to

coordinated planning and joint management of the Mekong River Basin for its

sustainabledevelopmentraisedthiscooperationtoanewlevel.

SincethesigningoftheMekongAgreement in1995,theMRCsachievementshave

demonstrated theextent to which a river based organization can impact a region

through the strengtheningofcooperativegovernanceand thebuildingofnational

capacity.TheMRChassuccessfully forgedalliancesandworking relationshipswith

itsDialogue

Partners,

namely

the

Peoples

Republic

of

China

(China)

and

the

Union

of Myanmar (Myanmar), and with a range of international organisations including

theAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN),theGreaterMekongSubregion

(GMS),theAsianDevelopmentBank(ADB)andtheWorldBanktofurtherpromote

the sustainable development and management of the Mekong Basins water

resources.

The achievements of the MRC cut across sectors, and reach beyond boundaries.

TogetherwithitsMemberCountries,theMRChasrealisedopportunitiestopromote

the sustainable development of the Mekong River Basin aimed at securing the

livelihoods

of

over

60

million

people

dependent

on

its

water

and

water

related

resources. Impactingon theeveryday livesof the riverinecommunities, theMRCs

regional cooperation continues to reduce the risks of regular flooding and to

promotethebeneficialeffectsoftheannualfloodpulse.Atthegovernancelevel,the

MRC has developed legal frameworks for crossborder navigation, contributing to

improvedsafetystandardsandefficient internationalrivertrade,andultimately,to

greater navigational freedom. Responding to the changing environment of the

Mekong and to the national interests of the Member Countries, the MRC has

developeda transboundaryanalysisof theopportunitiesand risksofmainstream

hydropowerdevelopment.As theMRC takesactiononallaspectsof the futureof

the

Mekong

River,

it

has

developed

a

regional

understanding

of

the

aquatic

biodiversityand fisheriesof theBasin throughsupport toenvironmentaldecisions,


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andnowaimstoassistriverinecommunitiesadapttotheconsequencesofclimate

change.

1.4.1 HighestpoliticalcommitmenttoMekongcooperationforsustainable

development

of

the

Basin:

First

MRC

Summit

2010

HeldinApril2010,thefirstMRCSummitcelebrated15yearsoftheachievementsof

theMRCand itsMemberCountries in thejointmanagementof theMekongRiver

Basin.For the first time, theHeadsofGovernmentof the fourMemberCountries

gatheredtogethertodiscuss issuesofmutual interestandreaffirmedtheirpolitical

commitmenttotheprinciplesandimplementationofthe1995MekongAgreement.

SustainablemanagementofBasinwaterresourceswashighlightedascrucialtothe

economic and social wellbeing of the riparian population and to the poverty

alleviationeffortsof theGovernmentsof theBasincountries,especiallyunder the

accelerated

development

of

water

and

related

resources

and

the

increasingchallengesbroughtaboutbyclimatechange.

At theSummit,Chinademonstrated itscommitment to strengtheningcooperation

withtheMRCandtheMemberCountriesthroughexchangeandsharingofdataand

information, and various other aspects of cooperation including navigation, the

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for hydropower and environmental

protection to address climate change, agriculture and irrigation, flood prevention

anddisastermitigation,andtheexchangeoftechnicalstaff.TheHeadsoftheMRC

Governments reiterated the longheld view that China and Myanmar become

Members

of

the

MRC.

The Heads of Government also recognised the extensive opportunities and the

associatedenvironmentalandsocialchallengestobefacedoverthenextdecadeas

theAsianeconomiescontinuetogrowrapidly,andclimatechangeeffectsintensify.

Nine priority areas of action were identified by the Heads of Government in the

SummitDeclarationasthefocusoftheMRCinthecomingyears.

Table2:Priorityareasofaction(fromFirstMRCSummitHuaHinDeclaration,

2010)

1. AdoptingandimplementingtheIWRMbasedBasinDevelopmentStrategy2. Intensifyingefforts toeffectivelymanage the risks from flood,droughtand

sea level rise including establishment of forecasting and warning systems

acrossthewholebasin

3. Facilitatinganinternationallegalframeworkthatencouragesrivernavigationandtrade

4. Researchingandaddressingthethreattolivelihoodsposedbyclimatechangeandcooperatingwithotherregionalpartnersinaddressinghazepollution

5. MonitoringandtakingmeasurestoimprovewaterqualityinpriorityareasoftheBasin

6. Sustaining theexistingand futureusesofwaterandrelated resources,and


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aquaticbiodiversity,wetlandsandforestsintheBasin

7. Identifyingandadvisingontheopportunitiesandchallengesofhydropowerand other infrastructure development in the Basin, especially risks as they

pertaintotheprotectionoffoodsecurityandlivelihoods

8. ContinuingtoimprovetheimplementationofthePDIES,PWUM,PNPCA,andPMFM

and

finalise

the

PWQ

9. Exploring and identifying opportunities for expansion of cooperationbetween the organisations current Dialogue Partners and Development

Partners, in particular to address common water resources and climate

change challenges, as well as identifying new Development Partners and

otherstakeholders

Intermsofthesustainabilityoftheorganisation itself, itwasagreedthattheMRC

wouldbecomefinanciallyindependentby2030.TheMRCwasencouragedtofurther

exploremodalities for implementing the decentralisationof someof its core river

basinmanagement

functions.

Havingreceivedrecognitionatthehighestpoliticallevel,anMRCSummitwillnowbe

convenedeveryfouryearstoprovideoversightanddirectiontoMRCactivitiesand

monitoritsresults.

1.4.3 IncreasedPartnershipswithUpstreamRiparianCountries

Partnerships with the MRC Dialogue Partners of China and Myanmar have been

considerably strengthened and raised to a higher level of constructive and active

cooperation.Over14years,ChinaandMyanmarhavedemonstratedan increasing

commitment

to

cooperation,

including

the

exchange

of

more

data

and

information

on thestatusofupstreamdevelopmentsandjointcapacitybuildingactivities.Two

events the2008 floodand the2010extremedryseasonhavedemonstrated the

valueof the independentanalysis that theMRCcanprovideandhighlightedareas

wheremorecooperationisneededinthefuture.

In2002, theMRC cooperationwithChinaunder theDialoguePartner relationship

wasstrengthenedwith thesigningofaMemorandumofUnderstanding (MOU)on

the provision of daily river flow and rainfall data from two monitoring stations in

Yunnan Province during the wet season. These data provide input to generate a

regional daily forecast of downstream water levels at key points on the Mekong

River thusproviding two to fivedaywarningsofcritical floodconditions. In2008,thisMOUwasrenewedandsincethenmutualunderstandingofthetechnicalissues

has been further strengthened by China by arranging study tours and training

coursesforagenciesinMRCMemberCountriesandMRCSstaff.

Joint workshops on navigation safety have also been organised by the MRC and

China,andforbasinplanning,exchangevisitsbytherespectivemodellingteamsto

share information, discuss the analysis and explore the consequences of various

developmentscenariosonriverflows.


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Inrecentyears,theMRCSecretariathascooperatedwithMyanmar inanumberof

areas, such as improving the MRC hydrometeorological coverage by exchanging

hydrometeorological monitoring and water quality data, and by technical and

expertise exchanges in flood and flood prevention. A number of areas such as

navigation safety, strategic environmental assessment, and continued sharing of

hydrometeorological

data

with

Myanmar

have

been

explored

with

potential

for

futuretechnicalcooperation.

1.4.4 MRCReachingMaturity

After 15 years of operations, the level of institutional and organisational

developmentoftheMRCisnowsuchthatithasbecomeanorganisationwhichisnot

onlywellrecognisedinthesustainablemanagementoftheMekongRiverBasinbut

alsobetterknownworldwide.

Thismaturity

is

also

apparent

in

the

institutional

mechanisms

already

in

place

for

national lineagenciestoimplementcertaincoreriverbasinmanagementfunctions.

Certaindesignatedagenciesare implementingwaterqualitymonitoringunder the

EnvironmentProgrammethroughtheprovisionofthenecessarycapacitybuildingto

national laboratorieswithtechnicalandfinancialsupportfromtheMRCSecretariat

andMemberCountries. Inaddition,RegionalWorkingGroupswereestablishedby

theWaterUtilisationProgramme(WUP)between2000and2008fortheformulation

of the MRC Procedures. Furthermore, the BDP basin planning process set up

National Working Groups, Subarea Working Groups, Regional Technical Working

Groups,withcoordinationmechanismsbytheNMCSecretariatsineachcountry.

Over the last tenyears,a setof fundamentalProceduresandassociated technical

guidelinesonreasonableandequitableutilisationofthewatersoftheMekongRiver

system, required under the 1995 Mekong Agreement, has been developed and

graduallyapprovedbyMemberCountriesforimplementation.

Momentumhasbeenbuiltup for theMRC tocontinue itsefforts instrengthening

ownershipby theMemberCountriesand forawideruptakeofMRCproducts into

thenationaladministrativeandplanningprocesses.

1.5 IWRMbasedBasinDevelopmentStrategy

In2005,MemberCountriesadopted the strategicdirections for IWRM in theLMB

(seeTable3foranIWRMdefinitioninthecontextoftheMekongRiverBasin).Thisis

thefoundationfortheestablishmentoftheBasinDevelopmentPlan(BDP)planning

process, an important contribution to a strengthened transboundary governance

systemfortheBasin.

Reflecting the Member Countries shared views on the future, the IWRMbased

BasinDevelopmentStrategyapprovedbytheMRCCouncilinDecember2010forms

the overarching strategic framework for developmentoriented work of the MRC

overthenextfiveyears. Itprovidesaframeworkfortransboundarygovernanceof

thisdevelopmentprocess, includingalignmentofnationalplansandprojects,basin


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management processes and the identification of strategic analyses to address

current knowledge gaps. The Basin Development Strategy will be refined and

updatedeveryfiveyears.


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Table3:IntegratedWaterResourcesManagementdefinitionintheMekongRiver

Basincontext

TheGlobalWaterPartnerships (2000)definitionof IWRM,consideredashighly relevant

fromaMekongBasinperspective,wasadoptedintheStrategicDirectionsforIWRMinthe

LMBand

approved

by

the

MRC

Council

in

2005.

IWRMisaprocessthatpromotesthecoordinateddevelopmentandmanagementofwater,

landandrelatedresources,inordertomaximiseeconomicandsocialwelfareinabalanced

waywithoutcompromisingthesustainabilityofvitalecosystems.IWRMemphasises

integrationofthemanagementoflandandwaterresources,ofsurfacewaterand

groundwater,ofupstreamanddownstreamuses,ofsectoralapproaches,ofeconomic

productionandenvironmentalsustainability,andofthestateandnonstatestakeholders.

(GlobalWaterPartnership,2000)

IWRMisnotanendinitselfbutameansofachievingthreekeystrategicobjectives:

Efficiency,since,givenscarcityofresources(natural,financialandhuman),itisimportant

to

attempt

to

maximise

the

economic

and

social

welfare

derived

not

only

fromthewaterresourcesbasebutalsofrominvestmentsinwaterservices

provision.

Equityintheallocationofscarcewaterresourcesandservicesacrossdifferenteconomicandsocialgroupsisvitaltoreduceconflictandpromotesocially

sustainabledevelopment.

Sustainability,asultimatelyallattemptsatwatermanagementreformwillfailifthewaterresourcesbaseandassociatedecosystemscontinuetoberegardedas

infinitelyrobustandwecontinuetoputatriskthewatersystemthatwedependon

foroursurvival

TheStrategic

Directions

for

IWRM

in

the

LMB

highlight

the

shared

principles

of

IWRM

and

thepriorityIWRMkeyresultareas.

AgreedPriorityIWRMKey

ResultAreas

Economicdevelopmentandpovertyalleviation

Environmentalprotection Socialdevelopmentand

equity

Dealingwithclimatevariability

Informationbasedplanningand

management

Regionalcooperation Governance Integrationthroughbasin

planning

SharedPrinciplesofIWRM

Institutionalandregulatoryframeworkswithclearpathwaysofaccountabilityestablishingtheethic

andperformanceofgoodgovernance

Knowledgedrivenplanningandmanagement,withopensharingofinformation

Communityandstakeholderparticipationpartnerships

between

government

and

community

fordemandresponsiveapproachestodevelopment

Integrationandcoordinationofpoliciesandprogramsacrosssectors,countries,competing

stakeholderinterestsandlevelsofgovernment

achievinganacceptablebalancebetween

economic,socialandenvironmentalbenefitsand

impacts

Source:StrategicDirectionsforIWRMintheLMB(2005)


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CHAPTER II EMERGING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FORSUSTAINABLE MEKONG DEVELOPMENT, AND THEROLE OF THE MRC

Sincethelivelihoodsandfoodsecurityoftheapproximately60millionpeopleliving

inthe

Lower

Mekong

Basin

(LMB)

are

closely

linked

to

the

Mekong

River

and

its

resources,itscarefulmanagementiscrucial.ThisChapteroutlinesthechallengesin

monitoring,researchandmanagementrequiring furthercooperationoverthenext

fewyears.Manyof theseactivitiesalready form thecore functionsof theMekong

River Commission (MRC). The MRC State of the Basin Report 2010 (SOB 2010)

providesadetailedexaminationofthesechallenges1.

THEMEKONGCONTEXT

Populationandlivelihoods

Inthe

past

decade,

the

LMB

population,

comprising

mainly

rural

dwellers,

has

increasedbyabout12percent.Howeverthisincreasehasnotbeenuniformanditis

expected to continue to increase in the coming decades but at a slower rate.

Population growth together with the changing consumption patterns due to the

expandingLMBeconomieswillincreasethedemandforelectricityandfood,putting

morepressureonBasinwaterresourcesusedforenergygenerationandforirrigated

agriculture.

ThediverseMekongecosystemsupportsawidevarietyof livelihoodsandprovides

foodsecurityformostoftheBasinsruralpopulation.Riceproduction,wildfisheries,

andother

aquatic

products,

livestock

and

wildlife

are

the

main

food

sources.

Humandevelopmentcontext

The United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) ranks the LMB countries as

mediumhumandevelopmentcountries.Despitethe impressiveeconomicgrowth

of the past decades, disparities still exist between the LMB countries with social

inequitybetweenruralandurbanpopulationsincreasing.Economicgrowththrough

theutilisationofnaturalresourcesisidentifiedbymostoftheLMBcountriesasone

wayofaddressingtheinequitablesharingofresourcesandbenefits.TheMRCwillbe

requiredtoplayagreaterroleinrespondingtothesecomplexissuesandinmeeting

therelated

provisions

of

the

1995

Mekong

Agreement.

All the LMB countries are making progress towards the achievement of the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), although the pace differs. Thailand has

achievedmostof the targetsaheadof scheduleandhas setevenmoreambitious

MDG Plus targets. Viet Nam is well on track to achieve the MDGs for extreme

poverty,hunger,education,genderandaccesstowater,whiletargetsforHIV/AIDS,

malariaandotherdiseases,andenvironmentalsustainability,stillremainchallenges.

AlthoughCambodia ison track toachieve severalglobalMDGsand localisedMDG

1DataquotedinthisChaptercomesfromtheMRCStateoftheBasinReport2010.


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targets, it is not close in many critical areas related to food security, poverty

reduction,educationandsustainablesocialandeconomicdevelopment.LaoPDR is

on course to attain the first MDG by halving poverty by 2015 and has made

significantprogressonexpandingaccesstosafewaterandsanitation.However,an

important constraint in Lao PDR is the lack of information on many of the

developmentareas.

TheeconomiesoftheLowerMekongBasin

TheLMBeconomyisoneofcontrastswithvariedlevelsoflinkagesanddependence

between the Basin population and its markets (both local and global). The vast

majority of the population practice subsistence livelihoods closely linked with the

seasonsanddependingonthewidediversityofaquaticplantsandanimals.Thishigh

degreeofdependenceonwaterresourcesimpliesagreatvulnerabilitytoanydecline

intheavailability,qualityordiversityofthenationalresourcebase.Inrecentyears,

theBasincountrieshaveaccelerated thedevelopmentof regionalwater resources

withthe

aim

to

boost

economic

growth

and

expand

public

expenditure

for

meeting

socioeconomic targets.LaoPDRandCambodiaaspire tograduate from the Least

DevelopedCountries(LDC)statusinthenextdecade.

Forestsandforestry:43percentoftheLMB landarea isforests.Forestcover inLao PDR and Cambodia is considerably greater than that in Viet Nam and

Thailand.Deforestationratesarehigher intheformertwocountries.Globaland

nationaleconomicdevelopmentcontinuestoexertconsiderablepressureonthe

LMBforests.Increasingdemandforagriculturalandforestproducts,andtheneed

foragricultural land isdrivingdeforestationanddegradation,withanassociated

reductionin

biodiversity

and

watershed

related

assets.

Agricultureandirrigation:AgricultureintheLMBcomprisesamixofsubsistenceandcommercialproduction.Agriculturalproductionhasbeenshapedbyadrive

towardsmodernisationandtradeexpansion,andbythecontinuedimportanceof

thesectorforlocalandglobalfoodsecurity,andasasourceofincome.Whilerice

islikelytoremainthemostimportantagriculturalcommodity,asignificanttrend

is the spread of plantations for commercial production of rubber and energy

crops.Thiscomesasaresultofariseinenergypricesandtherelateddemandfor

biofuels,andof increaseddemandforagriculturalproducts ingeneral.Thearea

under irrigationhasexpanded inall fourLMBcountries.While inCambodiaand

LaoPDR

food

security

is

still

amajor

concern,

the

focus

in

both

Thailand

and

Viet

Nam, where most of the installed irrigation infrastructure is found, is on

intensifyingproduction.

Fishandfishery:TheinlandfisheriesoftheMekongBasinareamongtheworldslargestandarecentralto feedingtheBasinpopulation forwhom fishandother

aquatic products are the main source of animal protein and a vital source of

micronutrients. The economic value of fish produced in the Basin is extremely

highevenwithouttaking intoaccountthevalueofsubsistence fisheriesandthe

many tens of thousands of processing and other fishery enterprises. Migratory

fishconstitutea largeproportionofthetotalfishcatch.Thetropicalfloodpulse

providesenvironments

for

the

annual

production

of

large

numbers

of

fish

fry

thus


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making fish production very resilient to fishing pressures. Any changes to the

floodpulse through, for example, the construction of dams, weirs or other

infrastructure are likely to result in reduced fisheries production and have

significantbasinwideeconomicandsocialimpacts.

Hydropower development: Mekong Government policies promote the use ofwater

resources

to

generate

electricity,

not

only

for

national

consumption

but

alsoforexporttoearnforeignexchangeforfundingthecountryssocioeconomic

development objectives. It also catalyses the mutually beneficial expansion of

crossborder power trade to support regional economic integration and the

attainmentofenergy securitygoals.TheMekongBasinhasbecomeoneof the

mostactiveregionsforhydropowerdevelopmentwiththerecentcompletionof

the fourthChinesedam,Xiaowan,on theLancangMekong inYunnanProvince,

withthreemoreunderconstructionorplannedbefore2025,andwithextensive

tributarydevelopmentandrevivalof interest inmainstreamdamprojects inthe

LMB.

Waterborne transport and trade: The Mekong River provides a wellused andimportant trade routebetween theBasin countries,particularlybetweenChina

and northern Thailand, and between Cambodia and Viet Nam. Navigation

agreementsplayanimportantroleindevelopingthetradepotentialoftheRiver,

buttheenvironmentalmanagementofwaterwaysremainsachallengeduetothe

lack of consistent safety standard and limited equipment and resources to

manage potential risks and to respond to any dangerous leakages and oil

pollution.

Mining and other industries: Recent changes in legislation and theencouragement of direct foreign investment have led to a marked increase in

miningactivities

in

the

LMB.

The

past

decade

has

seen

the

arrival

of

large

multi

national mining enterprises, particularly in Lao PDR. However, environmental

controls in this emerging industry remain limited. The main areas of concern

include increasedsoilerosion,chemicalcontamination,anduntreated industrial

wastewater.

TheecologicalhealthoftheMekongRiver

Ingeneral, thewaterqualityof theMekongRiver remainsgood,however,around

certaindenselypopulatedareasandareasof intensiveagricultureandaquaculture

some deterioration is present. Industrial wastewater treatment is limited and the

handlingand

disposal

of

industrial

hazardous

waste

is

insufficient.

Industrial

water

pollutionoccursmainlyaroundfactoriesanddownstreamofmajorurbanareas.As

both industrial sector and urban areas are expected to expand, this pollution will

increaseover thecomingyearsunless regulatory frameworksaremoreeffectively

enforced. For example, current routine water quality monitoring does not cover

toxic pollutants. Although there have been no indications of basinwide or trans

boundaryconcern,therehavebeenlocalincidentsoftoxicpollutionbyheavymetals

andpersistentorganiccompounds.Theseshouldbeseenasearlywarningsigns to

address.


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The importance of the direct use of wetlands for rice cultivation and freshwater

capture fisheries is well known, but other less obvious indirect uses arejust as

important.Forexample,duringthewetseason,naturalwetlandsabsorbfloodwaters

that could otherwise be disastrous. The surface area of Cambodias Great Lake

expandsbyasmuchasfourtofivetimesduringthewetseason.Withoutthisnatural

absorptivecapacity,

Phnom

Penh

would

be

completely

flooded

every

year.

Many

of

the largercities in theBasin, includingVientianeandPhnomPenh,discharge their

urban wastewater into large natural wetlands thus achieving a significant level of

treatment before the wastewater flows into the river. Since wetlands form the

transitionzonebetweenwater andlandbasedecosystems,asmalldifferenceinthe

amount, timingordurationofwater flowscan result inaprofoundchange in the

natureofthewetlandanditsuniqueplants,animalsandprocesses.

Theextentof the renownedMekongBasinbiodiversity isstillnot fullyunderstood

andnewspeciesarediscoveredeveryyear.Presently,thefaunaincludes14critically

endangeredspecies

(including

the

Irrawaddy

dolphin),

21

endangered

species

and

29vulnerablespecies.Acceleratingeconomicdevelopment,populationgrowthand

increased consumption patterns are putting pressure on the environment, which

couldchangethehabitatsandthemechanismsthatsustainthehighproductivityof

theecosystems.

MAINDEVELOPMENTCHALLENGESANDOPPORTUNITIES

The socioeconomic and sectoral plans of all the LMB countries include the

development of water resources for irrigation, hydropower, flood management,

domestic water supply and sanitation in order to boost economic growth, reduce

povertyand

meet

the

UN

MDGs.

As

aresult

the

Mekong

River

Basin

faces

anumber

ofchallengesnotonlyfromthesedevelopmentsbutalsofromtheexpectedimpacts

ofclimatechange.Addressing thesechallengeswillrequirebettercoordinatedand

collaborative responses by the Basin Governments, particularly in terms of

implicationsforfoodsecurity,waterquality,biodiversityandaquaticecosystems.

Arangeofshort tomediumtermIWRMchallengesneedtobeaddressed.

At thebasin level, there isagrowingdemand forjointdeterminationby theLMB

countries and their stakeholders on an acceptable balance between resource

developmentand

resource

protection

in

order

to

maintain

ecosystem

services

and

their contribution to food and livelihoods security. The IWRMbased Basin

Development Strategy needs to be reflected in national plans and implemented

throughcollaborationattheBasin,nationalandsubbasinlevels.

Hydropower developments on the LancangMekong have changed the context for

the development and management of LMB water and related resources. Some

consequences will be positive and others potentially negative. The BDP scenario

assessmentshaveconsideredandquantifiedtheseconsequences.Addressingthem

willrequireanincreaseincooperationwithChina.


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Atthenationallevel,there isconsiderablescopefor institutionaldevelopmentand

capacitybuilding.Thisisespeciallytimelyfortherecentlyestablishednationalwater

and related resources management agencies and the moves towards the

establishmentofriverbasinorganisationsorcommittees.Theaim is tostrengthen

theirguidance,coordinatingandmonitoringroles for IWRM,whileresponsible line

agencies

implement

onthe

ground

sector

planning

and

management.

The

strengthened resourcemanagementagencieswill thenbe inaposition to interact

withandsupporttheMRCinthejointmanagementoftheBasinsresources.

At theproject level, the main IWRM issues relatepredominantly to the plans for

large infrastructureprojects,particularly in thehydropowerand irrigation sectors,

and the relatively weak capacity for implementation of environmental and social

regulations in some countries. There is a need to increase the awareness and

capacity of line agencies for a more integrated approach earlier in the planning

process, and with the developers in promoting implementation of environmental

andsocial

considerations.

In

some

cases

broadening

the

scope

to

multi

purpose

ratherthansinglepurposeprojectswillofferwiderbenefits.

2.1 Climatechange

Climate change impacts on water resources are understood to include changes in

weatherpatternsaffectingtemperaturesandthe intensity,durationandfrequency

ofrainfallandstorms.Thepredictedchanges inprecipitationand temperaturewill

affect the Mekong River flows, e.g. the increased flows in the wet season will

heighten theriskof floodingand the longerdryseasonsmay increase theriskand

severityofdroughts.TheMekongDeltaisespeciallyvulnerabletoclimatechangein

termsof

sea

level

rise

and

sea

water

intrusion.

Astheregionispronetofloodingandextremeweatherevents,thelikelyimpactsof

climate change will intensify those existing risks and exacerbate potential threats

imposedon thephysical featuresof theMekongRiverBasinandsubsequently the

diverseusesofthewaterandaquaticresources.Wateravailabilitywillbeacritical

factor in determining how the water is shared and managed for different uses

ranging from subsistence livelihoods and ecosystem services to largescale

developmentpurposessuchasirrigatedagricultureandhydropowerdevelopment.

Adaptationto

climate

change

will

require

both

local

initiatives

and

policy

and

institutionalresponses.Asthere isagrowingconcernoverthehighvulnerabilityof

theregiontoclimatechangeduetothecombinationofflooding,sealevelriseand

dense populations living in the Basin, the MRC focus is directed towards a better

understanding of the possible impacts and adaptation options to cope with these

changes.

2.2 Floodanddroughtriskmanagement

FloodsanddroughtsintheLMBhavemajoreconomicandsocialconsequences,both

positive and negative. The annual pulse of mainstream flooding brings tangible

benefitsfor

agriculture

and

fisheries

as

well

as

risks

to

life

and

property.

However,


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climatechange isexpected to increase theriskofextremeweathereventssuchas

droughts and extended rainfall periods, and so increase peoples vulnerability to

povertyandfoodinsecurity.

Since theriskof flooddamagecannotbeeliminated, it requires local initiatives to

increasethe

resilience

of

flood

prone

communities.

The

challenge

is

to

reduce

the

costsandimpactsoffloodingwhilepreservingthebenefits.Costsincludethedirect

coststoagriculture,infrastructureandbuildings,theeffectsonhealthandsanitation

throughoutbreaksofwaterbornediseasesandthelackofsafedrinkingwaterduring

flooding, and disruption to the schooling of many children in floodaffected

communities.Thebenefitsarelessimmediatebuttheannualmainstreamfloodingis

the force which drives and sustains the Basin fisheries, provides the water for

storage fordry season irrigation,depositssediments that improveand sustain soil

fertilityacrossthefloodplainsoftheLMBandrechargegroundwaterstorage.

Droughts,unlike

floods,

have

no

clear

benefit

to

the

Basin

population.

Their

direct

costs include the loss of crops and reduced yields of livestock and fisheries but

droughts cause no physical damage to community infrastructure or assets. In the

LMB,themainstructuralmeasureforreducingtheriskofdroughts istheprovision

ofirrigation,localstorageandconjunctiveuseofgroundwaterwithsurfacewater.In

addition,droughtforecastinganddroughtresistantcropsarealsoexpectedtoplay

anincreasingroleinfutureriskmanagementintheLMB.

2.3 Mekongmainstreamdamsandwaterdevelopmentsontributaries

Asthepopulationgrowsandeconomicactivitiesdiversifyand intensify,theannual

demandfor

power

is

expected

to

grow

by

ten

percent

or

even

more.

To

help

meet

thisdemand, thosecountries in the regionwithhydropowerpotentialwillplan to

developitoverthenexttwodecadesforbothdomesticconsumptionandelectricity

export. Thailand and Viet Nam plan to import electricity from neighbouring

countries, much of which would be generated from hydropower dams on the

Mekong and its tributaries, and also continue to develop fossil fuel and non

hydropowerrenewabletechnologiestomeetdemandgrowth.

Hydropowerhas recentlyattractedmore support, sincenotonly is ita renewable

technology,butitalsogenerallyemitsfarlessgreenhousegasthanfossilfuelpower

plants.Furthermore,

the

increased

fluctuations

in

gas

and

oil

prices

have

made

hydropower more economically competitive. This coupled with the predicted

increase in dry season flows in the mainstream resulting from the dams on the

LancangMekongupstreamandavailabilityofprivatesectorfinanceisdrivingarapid

regionalexpansionofhydropower.The introductionofnationalregulatorysystems

toencourageinvestmentinstrategicinfrastructureforwaterandenergyhasalsoled

asignificantprivatesectorresponsetoproposenew largehydropowerschemeson

boththetributariesandmainstreamoftheMekongRiver.

Hydropower projects involve tradeoffs with other water uses and associated

livelihoods,like

those

related

to

fisheries

and

the

biodiversity

of

aquatic

life.

At

the


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sametime,aswellaselectricityproduction,damscouldbenefitnavigationandthe

supplyofwaterforagricultureanddomesticuseespeciallyinthelowflowseason.

Therecentrevivalof interest inhydropowerdevelopmenthasposedan immediate

priority for the MRC in terms of the need for an assessment of the longterm

implicationsof

mainstream

dam

proposals,

and

so

to

provide

better

understanding

of cumulative risks, opportunities and sustainable solutions. The Strategic

EnvironmentalAssessmentpublishedinlate2010providedsuchanassessment.

InOctober,2010,aproposalfortheXayaburimainstreamdamdevelopmentproject

inLaoPDRwasthefirsttobesubmittedforpriorconsultationundertheprocessof

the MRC Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA).

How this PNPCA process is taken forward by the MRC and its Member Countries

underthefacilitationandadvisoryroleoftheMRCwillsetan importantprecedent

for other proposed mainstream developments in the LMB. Some of which are

expectedto

be

submitted

to

the

MRC

during

this

Strategic

Plan

period.

2.4 Intensifiedirrigatedagriculture

Agriculture is the dominant water consuming sector in the LMB, particularly in

ThailandandVietNam,andmostLMBcountrieshaveambitiousplansfor irrigation

developmenttoenhanceproduction.Theprojectedincreaseinwaterdischargefrom

upstreamdamsduringthedryseasoncreatesopportunitiesforirrigatedagriculture

inthe lowerpartoftheBasin,particularly inCambodia,LaoPDRandtheVietNam

Deltawithoutmateriallyreducingminimum lowflowconditions.Plansfor irrigation

developmenttogetherwiththevarioushydropowerprojectswillsignificantlyaffect

howthe

Basin

resources

are

used

and

consumed

and

is

amajor

element

considered

bytheIWRMbasedBasinDevelopmentStrategypreparedbyMRCin2010.Therisks

of intensified drought may also trigger the revival of plans of some countries to

transferwaterfromtheMekongmainstreamtocomplementnationalapproachesto

mitigate drought impacts. Moves toward more commercial forms of agricultural

productionwillalsodrivenewirrigationdevelopment.

Thegrowth in intensiveagriculture tomeet the increasingdemand foragricultural

products will result in an increased demand for water while any accompanying

increaseduseofpesticideswouldendangerbothwaterqualityandbiodiversity.

THE ROLE AND CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE MRC IN THE CHANGING MEKONG

CONTEXT

InparallelwiththeeffortsoftheMemberCountryGovernments,theMRCplaysan

essentialroleinpromotingmutualandequitablebenefitsharingamongtheriparian

countries,inprotectingtheenvironment,andinbasinwidemonitoringandcapacity

building.


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2.5 KeyelementsoftheMRCsrole

Contributingtopovertyreduction

MRCsMemberCountriesacknowledge thatpovertyalleviation remains central to

nationalsocioeconomicobjectivesand isoneofthemainaimsofwaterresources

managementin

the

Mekong

Basin.

The

MRC,

by

providing

policy

and

strategic

advice, is in a position to influence the overall objectives of basin management

towards propoor outcomes. Although MRC does not in general deliver onthe

ground poverty alleviation services, it does play a direct role in areas such as

fisheriesbasedlivelihoodsandthepreventionoffloodlosses.

TheMRCstrategyforcontributingtopovertyreductionintheLMBisreflectedby:

Coordinating the establishment of a basinwide and crosssector developmentplanning and management framework to support national planning and

managementtopromotetheequitablesharingofMekongdevelopmentbenefits

amongstthe

different

users,

and

especially

amongst

the

most

disadvantaged

groupsintheBasin;

Facilitatingdatasharingandexchangeamongtheripariancountriesandprovidingforecastingandwarningsystems to reduce lossof livesandassets fromnatural

disasters;

Leading strategic or subregional assessments of potential environmental andsocialimpactsfromplanneddevelopmentactivitiesanddevelopingthemodelling

capacitytoevaluatealternativedevelopmentscenarios;

Developing several tools in support of regional propoor development, such asenvironmentalmonitoringofaquaticecosystemsonwhichthe livelihoodsofthe

rural

poor

depend;

and,

EncouragingrivernavigationandtradebyutilisingthetransportpotentialoftheMekongRiversystem.

Basinplanningandmanagement

The MRC plays a supportive role in addressing the strategic planning and

managementissuesfacingtheBasinby:

Promoting sustainable development of water and related resources in theMekongRiverBasin;

Ensuringmutualbenefitstoallripariancountries; Minimising the harmful effects from natural occurrences and human

activities;

Balancing the environmental protection and conservation mandate of theMRCwithdevelopmentandutilisation;

Integrating subbasins and watersheds as a basic element of IWRM, withrespect to theircumulativecontributions to thehealthof the largerbasins;

and,

Addressingemergingclimatechangechallenges.


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Harmonisingbenefitsandensuringequity

With major hydropower dams proposed on the mainstream Mekong and other

investmentsbeingplannedtoutiliseMekongwaterresources,there isa legitimate

concernthatthenaturalecologicalconditionsandtheBasinflowregimeswillchange

significantly.Thereisalsouncertaintyaboutwhetherripariancommunitieswillshare

the benefits of development equitably and whether the environment will benefitfrom planned developments. These concerns are linked to the measures to

overcome the causes of persistent regional poverty. The MRC longterm Vision

suggests that the role of the MRC will include promoting the harmonisation of

benefitsharingamongtheMemberCountriesandtheirpeople,andmonitoringthe

Basins environmental health by undertaking environmental and social impact

assessments,andwherenecessarystrategicimpactassessments.

Highpriorityisplacedonaddressingthecrucialissueofequityand,inthecontextof

theBasin,onthefollowingthreeaspects:

Equitabledevelopmentwhich ismutuallybeneficialtotheLMBcountriesandtheirpeople;

Equity inwaterutilisationbetweenupstreamanddownstreamcountriesandcommunities;and

Equityissuesrelatingtothemultipleusesoftheriver,suchashydropowergeneration, fisheries (wild capture, aquaculture), navigation, water

diversion and dams/reservoirs for irrigated agriculture, human health

(waterbornediseases),andbiodiversityandtourism.

Promotingresponsibleandsustainablehydropowerdevelopment

Theescalating

interest

in

hydropower

development

in

the

LMB

emphasises

the

importanceofthefocusonsustainabilityintheworkoftheMRC.TheMRCapproach

is to help Member Countries understand the longterm implications of proposed

dam construction, and balance the benefits, impacts and risks. The SEA on

mainstream dam proposals concluded in 2010 demonstrated the central role that

MRC can play in this discussion by facilitating dialogue among the major

stakeholders, including Governments, civil society and the private sector, and

introducingamoreholisticapproach to theassessmentof risksandopportunities.

Thisrolewillcontinueandintensifyinthecomingyearsandalsoinvolveapplication

ofsustainabilityassessmenttoolsdevelopedrecentlybyMRCanditspartners.

Withregardtothebuiltandplannedupstreamdams,MRChasauniquepositionof

cooperationwithupstreamripariancountries,and isabletocarryoutcollaborative

studiesontheoperationofhydropowerimpartiallyandeffectively.

Enhancingregionalcooperation

Beyond hydropower development, further technical and institutional cooperation

withChinaandMyanmar ispossibleandachievablewithinthenext fiveyears.The

sharing of yearround upstream hydrometeorological data for use in drought

management,climatechangeplanningand for informing localcommunitiesofany

expected changes in water levels resulting fromupstreamhydropower operations

havebeen

identified

as

issues

for

future

cooperation.

There

are

also

opportunities


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for staff exchanges, technical cooperationand training in flood risk reduction and

management.

Strong synergies exist between MRC and other regional organisations such as the

AssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)andtheGreaterMekongSubregion

(GMS)programme.

April,

2010

saw

the

conclusion

of

the

framework

for

cooperation

between MRC and ASEAN, a partnership which will encourage greater

implementationof regionalpolicy initiativesatbasin scale including integration to

close the capacity gap. Similarly, MRC and the GMS programme have

complementary roles in strengthening regional linkages through a multisectoral

approach, particularly where project investments can build on the regional

management framework and cooperative framework provided by MRC, e.g. the

preliminaryplanningworkundertheFloodManagementandMitigationProgramme

thatisleadingtosubsequentADBGMSinvestmentsupporttoMemberCountries.

2.6

MRCcore

functions

The 1995 Mekong Agreement characterises the MRC mandate and provides the

necessarystructureforitsworkprogrammesandactivities.Basedonthismandate,a

frameworkof four core functionscategories, including themajorcategoryof river

basin management functions, was approved at the Twentyninth Meeting of the

MRCJointCommitteeinMarch,2009comprising:

SecretariatAdministrativeandManagementFunctions RiverBasinManagementFunctions

(1)Dataacquisition,exchangeandmonitoring

(2)Analysis,

modelling

and

assessment

(3)Planningsupport

(4)Forecasting,warningandemergencyresponse

(5)ImplementingMRCProcedures

(6)Promotingdialogueandcommunication

(7)Reportinganddissemination

CapacityBuildingandToolsDevelopmentFunctions ConsultingandAdvisoryServicesThese core functions are now widely accepted as setting the framework for the

futureworkoftheMRC.Annex2providesadetaileddescription.

The sevenRiverBasinManagementFunctions directly assistMemberCountries in

thesustainabledevelopmentandmanagementof theBasinwater resources.Over

time, some will be progressively implemented by the Member Countries and

coordinatedbytheregionalworkinggroupsundertheMRCframework.Otherswill

continue to require the independent implementation capability of the MRC

Secretariat.

There is an increasing understanding that these core River Basin Management

FunctionsareessentialtotheroleoftheMRC,andwillthereforecontinue insome

formor

other

over

the

life

of

the

Commission.

They

cover

the

full

range

of

sectoral


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andcrosssectoralareasundertheMRCmandate,andallowtomovethediscussion

beyond theprevailingshorttermemphasison timeboundprogrammes toamore

strategicmanagementapproach.

ThisStrategicPlancyclewillbethestartofthetransitionfortheMRCtomovefrom

a

study

oriented

tool

development

focus

to

a

more

responsive

management

focus

basedonmonitoring,analysisandfacilitationaswellasdevelopmentsupport.

19952010: Processandtoolsdevelopmentfunctions

20112015: Consolidationofcore functionsandcapacitybuilding for initiationof

decentralisedfunctions

2016: Greater Member Country responsibility for the delivery of selected

River

Basin

Management

Functions,

and

enhanced

interstate

facilitationfunctionsoftheMRC

2.7 PrinciplesunderlyingtheStrategicPlan20112015

MRC Member Countries share certain values and principles relating to regional

cooperation for its sustainable development that go beyond the diversity of

challenges, interestsandprioritiesof individualcountries.Theyunderline thegoals

and actions for an effective cooperation framework for the equitable, sustainable

BasinmanagementsetoutinthisStrategicPlan.

ContinuingthecomprehensiveimplementationofIWRM

The IWRMbasedbasindevelopmentandmanagementplanningprocessaddresses

multidimensional transboundary water issues by integrating socioeconomic and

environmentalconcerns inregionalandnationalplanninganddecisionmakingthus

promotingsustainabilityofwateruseandpreventionofwaterrelatedconflicts.

Stimulatingpropoordevelopment

TheMRCprovidesguidance forbalanceddevelopmentandequitableutilisationof

thoseBasin

water

and

related

resources,

with

medium

to

long

term

gains

on

povertyalleviationandenvironmentalsustainability.The linkbetweenariverbasin

organisation and poverty reduction is not always evident, but there are some

examplesofthedirectroleplayedbyMRCinpropoordevelopmentandsupporting

theeffortsofMemberCountriesinachievingtheUNMillenniumDevelopmentGoal

(MDG)1.These includetheroleplayed infisheriesbased livelihoods,preventionof

losses from floods, and institutional measures to promote crossborder river

transportandtrade.

Until2010 20112015 From2016


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Protectingtheenvironment

A strong environmental regulatory framework with effective implementation

capacity and institutions are essential for maintaining a balance between

environmentalprotectionanddevelopment.TheMRCwillcontributebyproviding

early in the planning process a better understanding of the potential impacts of

changeandthefullvalueoftheecosystemsoftheMekongRiverBasin.Inadditiontoproviding a robust environmental understanding and knowledge as well as

environmentalmonitoringandmanagementcapabilitiesacrosstheBasinandacross

institutions,theMRCwillrespondtothemanagementchallengesoftransboundary

andbasinwideissuestoassesspotentialimpactsofdevelopmentscurrentlyplanned

andtheirsustainabilityintermsoftheirscaleandscope.

Dealingwithclimatechangeeffects

Recognising that Mekong Basin countries face unique threats of environmental

degradationand

climate

change

impacts,

the

Declaration

of

the

First

MRC

Summit

agreed that adapting to these challenges is a regional priority. The MRC aims to

provideaplatform forknowledgesharingand informationexchange tostrengthen

protection from and adaptation to the changes in the Mekong environment and

climate. MRC efforts in dealing with these additional threats will continue to be

coordinated across all sectors, complementary to other regional initiatives, foster

dialogueandconsultationwithstakeholders,andintegrategenderperspectives.

AchievingcountryownershipandfinancialsustainabilityoftheMRCby2030

As high levels of socioeconomic development are reached, MRCs Member

Countries

will

gradually

assume

financial

responsibility

for

MRC

operations.

Increased country responsibility and ownership already includes the plan for full

riparianisationoftheMRCSecretariatbytheendof2012.HeadsofGovernmentof

theMemberCountriescommittedtoachievingfinancialautonomyforMRCby2030.

TheextenttowhichMRCproductsandtoolsareintegratedinnationalplanningand

decisionmaking will be an indicator of increased country ownership, and the

effectivenessandwiderimpactsofMRCswork.

ClosingthegaptheIntegrationAgenda

Differentdevelopment

levels

and

capacity

gaps

exist

among

the

Member

Countries

requiringaprioritisedandtargeted fundingandcapacitybuildingapproach.Allare

membersofASEANwhich recentlyestablished the Initiative forASEAN Integration

(IAI)topromotesouthsouthcooperationandtoassistthenewerASEANmembers

(which include Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam) in narrowing the development

dividebetweenthemandothermiddle incomeASEANmembers.Humanresources

development isoneofthe fourpriorityareasof the IAI.Consistentwiththispolicy

direction, the MRC Governments agreed to prioritise resources, funding and

capacity building for those Member Countries with higher poverty rates and with

moreurgenteconomicneedsattheFirstMRCSummit.


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technical exchanges, capacity building and sharing of best practices in managing

transboundaryriverswillcontinue.


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CHAPTER III STRATEGIC PLAN 2011-2015

InresponsetotherapidlychangingcontextoftheMekongBasinandtheemerging

challengestoitssustainabledevelopment,thisStrategicPlanfor20112015laysout

goals and outcomes corresponding to the MRC core functions and based on the

principlesdescribed

in

Chapter

II.

This

Strategic

Plan

represents

the

MRCs

approach

to implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) in the Mekong

RiverBasin.

3.1 BasinVision

An economically prosperous, sociallyjust and environmentally sound Mekong

RiverBasin

AttheFirstMRCSummit inApril2010 inHuaHin,Thailand,thePrimeMinistersof

the four Member Countries reaffirmed the Basin Vision as adopted in 1999. That

BasinVision

is

as

relevant

today

as

it

was

with

the

Member

Countries

being

committedtoworktogetherforaMekongRiverBasinwhere:

foodisplentifulandvaried; locallivelihoodsareresilienttoexternalshocks; theriparianpopulationenjoys the fullestofhumandevelopmentpotentialsand

choices;

theMekongRiversystemishealthyandrichinbiodiversity;and the riparian population enjoys an equitable share of the benefits and risks

associatedwiththeutilisationofthewaterandrelatedresourcesoftheBasin.

Inline

with

national

and

regional

policies

and

strategies

for

sustainable

development

andregional integration,thisVision isreinforcedbythesharedcommitmentofthe

MemberCountriesto:

sustainabledevelopmentasdefinedunderAgenda21; achievementoftheUnitedNationsMillenniumDevelopmentGoals; commitmenttoregionalpoliticalandeconomiccooperation(ASEAN);and adoption and full implementation of integrated water resources management

principles.

3.2 MRCVision

Aworld

class,

financially

secure,

international

river

basin

organisation

serving

the

MekongcountriestoachievetheBasinVision

TheVisionofbeingaworldclassinternationalriverbasinorganisation,inspiresthe

MRC to provide a highlevel of expertise, and for its key stakeholders including

nationaland subbasinwater resourcemanagers to rank itsproducts, including its

tools and processes, and its services (policy advice, financial and human resource

management) as among the best in the world. The Heads of the four Member

Governmentsat the firstMRCSummit referred to institutionalmodelsadoptedby

other international river basin organisations and encouraged the MRC to further


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explore decentralised implementation modalities for some of its core River Basin

ManagementFunctions.

MRCs Vision indicates the crucial role of MRC in responding to the needs of its

MemberCountries,providingahighlevelofexpertisewithinthekeyareasofriver

basinmanagement

relevant

to

the

Mekong

River,

and

mediating

differing

interests

betweenandwithincountries in theutilisationanddevelopmentof thewaterand

relatedresourcesoftheBasin.Thisimpliesexcellenceintermsoftheorganisations

performance, relevance and quality of its products and services, stakeholder

satisfaction,andvaluewhencompared tosimilarproducts (technical)andservices

(in financialandhumanresourcemanagementand inpreventionandresolutionof

differences)providedbyotherinternationalriverbasinorganisations.

3.3 MRCMission

To promote and coordinate sustainablemanagement and development of the

waterand

related

resources

of

the

Mekong

Basin

for

the

countries

mutual

benefitandthepeopleswellbeing

Since its establishment in 1995, and in accordance with the founding Mekong

Agreement, the MRC Mission has been to provide effective support through its

coordinationandadvisoryroleforsustainablemanagementanddevelopmentofthe

waterandrelatedresourcesoftheMekongBasin forthecountriesmutualbenefit

andthepeopleswellbeing.

TheprimaryvalueaddedbytheMRCisthefocusontransboundaryandbasinwide

issuesand

the

analysis

of

implications

(economic,

social

and

environmental)

of

on

goingandproposeddevelopmentsintheBasin,includingthecumulativeimpactsof

nationaldevelopments.Havingitskeystrengthasaknowledgebasedinstitution,the

MRCprovidesadviceandcapacitybuilding,supportsresearchandoffersnecessary

support to Member Countries to manage the Basin water and related resources

effectively foraneconomicallyprosperous,sociallyjustandenvironmentallysound

riverbasin.

3.4 TheStrategicGoals

The specific goal statements o

strategic plan 2011 2015 approved by council 25012011

Documents