1

Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission(MRC)(MRC)

Water Utilization ProgramWater Utilization Program(WUP)(WUP)

Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, WUP Team Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, WUP Team LeaderLeader

21 June 2005Salvador, Brazil

Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission(MRC)(MRC)

Water Utilization ProgramWater Utilization Program(WUP)(WUP)

Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, WUP Team Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, WUP Team LeaderLeader

21 June 2005Salvador, Brazil

2

ContentsContentsContentsContents

1.1. Mekong CooperationMekong Cooperation1.1. Mekong CooperationMekong Cooperation

2.2. Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission2.2. Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission

3.3. Water Utilization ProgrammeWater Utilization Programme3.3. Water Utilization ProgrammeWater Utilization Programme

3

Mekong River Mekong River BasinBasin

Mekong River Mekong River BasinBasin

The 8The 8thth largest and 12 largest and 12thth longest river of the worldlongest river of the world

Upper MekongUpper Mekong

1.1. China – 16% of total flowChina – 16% of total flow

2.2. Myanmar – 2%Myanmar – 2%

Lower Mekong BasinLower Mekong Basin

3.3. Cambodia – 18%Cambodia – 18%

4.4. Lao PDR– 35%Lao PDR– 35%

5.5. Thailand – 18%Thailand – 18%

6.6. Viet Nam – 11%Viet Nam – 11%

4

Committee for Coordination of Committee for Coordination of Investigation of LMB Investigation of LMB (Cambodia, (Cambodia, Lao, Thailand & Vietnam by Lao, Thailand & Vietnam by UNESCAP)UNESCAP)

Committee for Coordination of Committee for Coordination of Investigation of LMB Investigation of LMB (Cambodia, (Cambodia, Lao, Thailand & Vietnam by Lao, Thailand & Vietnam by UNESCAP)UNESCAP)

1957195719571957

Interim Mekong CommitteeInterim Mekong Committee(Lao, Thailand & Vietnam)(Lao, Thailand & Vietnam)Interim Mekong CommitteeInterim Mekong Committee(Lao, Thailand & Vietnam)(Lao, Thailand & Vietnam)

1978197819781978

Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission(Cambodia, Lao, Thailand & (Cambodia, Lao, Thailand & Vietnam)Vietnam)

Mekong River CommissionMekong River Commission(Cambodia, Lao, Thailand & (Cambodia, Lao, Thailand & Vietnam)Vietnam)

1995199519951995

Mekong Cooperation Mekong Cooperation HistoryHistory

Mekong Cooperation Mekong Cooperation HistoryHistory

5

The 1995 AgreementThe 1995 AgreementThe 1995 AgreementThe 1995 Agreement

Agreement to cooperate for Agreement to cooperate for sustainable developmentsustainable development

Underlying legal principlesUnderlying legal principles::1.1. Sovereign Equality and Sovereign Equality and

Territorial IntegrityTerritorial Integrity2.2. Reasonable and Equitable Reasonable and Equitable

UtilizationUtilization Protection of the Protection of the

Environment – a key elementEnvironment – a key element Establishment of the Mekong Establishment of the Mekong

River Commission (MRC)River Commission (MRC)

6

MRC Organizational MRC Organizational StructureStructure

MRC Organizational MRC Organizational StructureStructure

JOINT JOINT COMMITTEECOMMITTEE

JOINT JOINT COMMITTEECOMMITTEE

COUNCILCOUNCILCOUNCILCOUNCIL

NATIONAL NATIONAL MEKONG MEKONG

COMMITTEECOMMITTEESS

NATIONAL NATIONAL MEKONG MEKONG

COMMITTEECOMMITTEESS

DONOR DONOR CONSULTATIVCONSULTATIV

E GROUPE GROUP

DONOR DONOR CONSULTATIVCONSULTATIV

E GROUPE GROUP

Government ofGovernment ofCambodiaCambodia

Government ofGovernment ofLao PDRLao PDR

Government ofGovernment ofThailandThailand

Government ofGovernment ofVietnamVietnam

Mekong River Com-Mekong River Com-mission Secretariatmission SecretariatMekong River Com-Mekong River Com-mission Secretariatmission Secretariat

7

MRC ProgrammesMRC ProgrammesMRC ProgrammesMRC Programmes Core ProgrammesCore Programmes

1.1. Basin Development PlanBasin Development Plan

2.2. Water Utilization ProgrammeWater Utilization Programme

3.3. Environment ProgrammeEnvironment Programme

4.4. Flood Management & Mitigation programmeFlood Management & Mitigation programme

Sectoral ProgrammesSectoral Programmes5.5. Hydropower ProgrammeHydropower Programme

6.6. Navigation ProgrammeNavigation Programme

7.7. Fisheries ProgrammeFisheries Programme

8.8. Agriculture, Irrigation and Forestry Agriculture, Irrigation and Forestry ProgrammeProgramme

9.9. Tourism ProgrammeTourism Programme

8

Water Utilization Program Water Utilization Program (WUP)(WUP)Water Utilization Program Water Utilization Program (WUP)(WUP)

WUP: one of the “core programmes” WUP: one of the “core programmes” of the MRCof the MRC

WUP provides the “tools” to WUP provides the “tools” to implement the 1995 Agreementimplement the 1995 Agreement

A 7-year WUP start-up project (2000 – A 7-year WUP start-up project (2000 – 2006) with2006) with

– $11m GEF-financing + $1m from $11m GEF-financing + $1m from MRCMRC

– $5.3m co-financing from Finland, $5.3m co-financing from Finland, Japan and France Japan and France

9

WUP has 4 main activitiesWUP has 4 main activities1. Basin Modeling and Knowledge 1. Basin Modeling and Knowledge BaseBase

2. Environmental and Trans-boundary2. Environmental and Trans-boundary

AnalysisAnalysis

3. Rules/Procedures Formulation3. Rules/Procedures Formulation

4. Management and Institutional4. Management and Institutional

Strengthening Strengthening

Water Utilization Program (WUP)Water Utilization Program (WUP)Water Utilization Program (WUP)Water Utilization Program (WUP)

10

A basin-wide computer-based A basin-wide computer-based modeling and knowledge base system modeling and knowledge base system developed in 2.5 year with developed in 2.5 year with participatory approachparticipatory approach

A powerful and transparent tool to A powerful and transparent tool to support basin-wide planning and support basin-wide planning and trans-boundary impacts assessmenttrans-boundary impacts assessment

Completed in March 2004 and Completed in March 2004 and approved by all MRC member states as approved by all MRC member states as a MRC official planning and analytical a MRC official planning and analytical tooltool

1. Basin Modeling1. Basin Modeling

11

2 main activities2 main activitiesIntegrated Basin Flows Management (IBFM)Integrated Basin Flows Management (IBFM) Application of Environmental Flows ApproachApplication of Environmental Flows Approach Environmental flows assessment using multi-Environmental flows assessment using multi-

disciplinary panel based on assessment of disciplinary panel based on assessment of trade-offs between development opportunities, trade-offs between development opportunities, economic, environmental and social beneficial economic, environmental and social beneficial usesuses

2. Environmental and Trans-2. Environmental and Trans-boundary Analysisboundary Analysis

Integrated Water Quality Management Integrated Water Quality Management (IWQM)(IWQM)

Formulation of Water Quality Objectives (WQOs)Formulation of Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) Identification of Beneficial Uses and Identification of Beneficial Uses and

recommendations on Water Quality Standardsrecommendations on Water Quality Standards

12

Total of 5 Rules/Procedures under WUPTotal of 5 Rules/Procedures under WUP

Three Procedural Rules - Three Procedural Rules - completedcompleted1.1. Data and information exchange and sharing – Data and information exchange and sharing –

agreed in 2001agreed in 2001

2.2. Water use monitoring – Water use monitoring – agreed in 2003agreed in 2003

3.3. Notification, prior consultation and agreement – Notification, prior consultation and agreement – agreed in 2003agreed in 2003

3. Rules Formulation3. Rules Formulation

Two Technical Rules/Procedures – Two Technical Rules/Procedures – in progressin progress4.4. Maintenance of flow on the mainstream - 2005Maintenance of flow on the mainstream - 2005

5.5. Water quality – 2005Water quality – 2005

13

ConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsConclusions

MRC Water Utilization Program - MRC Water Utilization Program - GEF-financed support is due to GEF-financed support is due to be completed in late 2006be completed in late 2006

A challenging process!A challenging process! Progress to date demonstrates Progress to date demonstrates

the continued commitment of the continued commitment of the member states to the 1995 the member states to the 1995 AgreementAgreement

Appreciation to GEF/World Bank Appreciation to GEF/World Bank and co-financers for their and co-financers for their constant supportconstant support

14

Thank you for Thank you for your kind your kind attentionattention

Thank you for Thank you for your kind your kind attentionattention