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International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Le Duc Trung
Acting Secretary General
Viet Nam National Mekong Committee
International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Mekong Basin & Cooperation
 Mekong River Basin covers Chiana, Myanmar, Lao,
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Thailand, Cambodian and Viet Nam
The river ranked 12th in length & 8th in flow
Viet Nam contributes 8% in area and 11% in flow
Mekong cooperation was started in 1957 focusing
on planning of water resource development
After a brief break (2 years), IMC was formed
With the Cambodia came back, the Agreement on
the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development
of the Mekong River Basin was signed in 1995
Mekong River Commission was established to
cooperate in all fields of sustainable development,
utilisation, management and conservation of the
water and related resources of the Mekong River
Basin
International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
MRC Institutional Set-up
 Members are Governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand
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and Viet Nam
China and Myanmar, are dialogue partners to the MRC
MRC consists of three permanent bodies:
The Council with member of ministerial level
The Joint Committee with member at no less than Department Director General
level ;and
The Secretariat located in Vientiane, Lao PDR, and headed by a CEO to provide
technical and administrative services to the JC and the Council
The MRC is funded by contributions from the four member countries and from aid
donors.
Donor Consultative Group meeting are organized annually to ensure effective
consultation with donor community
International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Institutional Arrangements
Governed by the 1995 Mekong Agreement, a number of legislative documents have been
prepared, widely known as the set of Water Utilization Rules:
 Procedures for Data and Information Exchange and Sharing (approved 2001);
 Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (approved 2003);
 Procedures for Water Use Monitoring (approved 2003);
 Procedures for Maintenence of Flows on the Mainstream (approved 2006);
 Procedures for Water Quality (pending for approval);
 Guidelines for Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (under preparation)
 And other Techncial Guidelines to implement approved docs
Establishment of permanent or ad-hoc bodies (sub-committees, working groups, task
forces …)
And set-up of bilateral channels
International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Ialy Hydropower Dam incident
 Sesan river is a main tributary of the
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Mekong river system
Ialy is a key hydropower project in
the cascade Viet Nam planned to
build in the sub-basin, 70 km from
border with Cambodia
Feb/2000 a careless release from Ialy
dam caused serious lost and
damages to Cambodian people
downstream
The regional cooepration has come
to its first alert and real challenge
The response was quick in bilateral channel of all levels, with assistance from MRCS
Mitigation measures were taken
Immediate measures relating to the dam operation were agreed
International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Institutional Arrangements
 Appropriate dam operation and flow regulation on the Sesan river;
 Maintenance of an effective notification mechanism on the flow regulation
 Jointly conduction required transboundary environment impact assessment studies;
 Strengthening the trust and cooperation spirit between the two sides in water
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resources management of the sub-basin
Notifications of new projects in the Central Highlands to the MRC
Exchange of related EIA studies of those projects
Maintenance of all level of contacts of bilateral channel
Prime Minister’s Instruction on transboundary impact concerns
Re-regulatory reservoir downstream Ialy and suggesting joint ventures for hydropower
development on Cambodia side
Target of increase awareness, trust and cooperation spirit between the two sides in
water resources management of the sub-basin
International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Needed Capacities
 MRC (complete set of rules/procedures/techncial guideleines relating to
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transboundary impacts)
Regional sub-committee for transboundary impacts assessment
Adequate and timely information to Joint Commission and annual border
cooperation meetings at Government level
Frequent meetings at working level (Joing Working Group on Sesan Flow
Regulation)
Ad-hoc joint team, group (investagation, modeling etc…) and workshops,
consultations, meetings etc…
Techncial cooepration: Joint monitoring, studies and shared database/analytical
tools
Awareness increase efforts, dissemination to the root level
International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Lessons Learnt
 Awareness and trust for border people and local authorities
 Awareness and commitment of involved line agencies
 Combination of regional mechanism and bilateral channels with proper public
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involvement
Commitments and cooperation spirit affirmed at top level
Improved monitoring and analytical tools
Data and information sharing and exchange, and notification requirements
Mitigation plan
Sub-basin water resources management planning according to IWRM principles
Joint investment for mutual benefit
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International Workshop on
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Basins
10 - 12 November 2008, Bonn, Germany
Applicability
 Basin-wide set-up (rules/procedures)
 Bilateral channel (Guidelines and relevant agreements)
 Regulation for system operation
 Techncial support (monitoring and tools)
 Capacity (technical and legal)
 Awareness increase and trust building
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