Coinciding with the meeting of the GWP Steering Committee (SC), a High Level Roundtable on Water Security and the SDGs was held in Yangon, Myanmar on May 24, 2016.
Coinciding with the meeting of the GWP Steering Committee (SC), a High Level Roundtable on Water Security and the SDGs was held in Yangon, Myanmar on May 24, 2016.
Three-day AWC First General Assembly-Summary Report
Reported by HE Mr. Watt Botkosal
Regional Chair, GWPSEA on 30 March 2016
The 1st Asia Water Council General Assembly was hosted and Co-organized by Ministry of Public Works and Housing and AWC Secretariat on 24-26 March 2016, Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa, Bali, Indonesia. The AWC was established by 15 Founders of Countries and international Agencies since the 7th World Water Week in Korea. The AWC aims to raise global awareness of Asia’s water problems and promote the sustainable development of Asia by resolving regional water issues. The General Assembly aimed to discuss the AWC Constitution and the operation plan for the AWC and to share the commitments from Founders. The General Assembly was attended by about 200 participants from about 50 organizations including Minister, Vice-Minister, Directors General, Directors, Chairpersons, AWC Secretariat, national and international organizations from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia such as UNESCO-IHP, FAO, and ADB (Asian Development Bank), KOICA, Representative of GWP SEA, Country Water Partnership of Indonesia, national agencies etc.
Representatives of GWP Southeast Asia, GWP South Asia and GWP Central Asia and Caucasus joined The Regional Workshop on South-South Cooperation in Flood Management, organised by the GWP global secretariat and GWP China from 14 to 16 December 2015 in Guangdong, China.
Under Water and Climate Development Programme (WACDEP), Myanmar WACDEP activity title is Development of the National Water Policy and Water Law with Integrating Water Security and Climate Resilience Aspects into Investment Planning and Decision Making Process. Its goal is to point out the integration of water security and climate resilience aspects to be included in the national water policy and water law.
With aiming the goal of the activity, the works have been initiated with making two assessment studies: Assessment of the National Water Policy of Myanmar (NWPM) and Assessment of the Current Situation of Water Security and Climate Resilience Aspects in Myanmar. After that, identification of these aspects to be integrated in NWPM, how to implement the integration process by means of consultative meeting which will be held among multi-stakeholders from water sector. Finally, selecting and prioritizing the action plans for integrating water security and climate resilience aspects into the NWPM.
To implement the one of action plans as a pilot study which has been selected from already identified National Adaptation Programs of Actions (NAPA). It is selected from water resources sector according to the prioritization of NAPA action plans. Accordingly, selection has been done for a particular area region within the country for pilot study to develop regional rainfall-runoff relationships. For that, Magwe Region has been selected for pilot study and collecting available data including historic records for rainfall and runoff data of streams that are situated in the region. Based on these collected data, regional rainfall and runoff relationships will be developed and these relationships will be given as input to identify and support the country flood early warning system establishment to be able to ensure and making decision for sustainable water management
“Many activities had been done and showed progress in the past five years, but there are also still remaining a lot of challenges and many IWRM activities need to be done in the coming years. However, the new phase of strategy implementation has to be improved and aligned with national natural resources strategy and other water related sector plans as well as the 8th national socio-economic development plans of the government 2016-2020” said Mr. Thoumma Saluemxay, Deputy Director General of Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
The workshop on 26 May 2015 highlighted that The Lao National Water Resources Strategy and Action Plan 2011-2015 implementation and development is very crucial for water sector collaboration among stakeholders in the country since the last five years of review.
Lao Water Partnership with support from GWP Southeast Asia held a seminar on 15 June 2015 to support the Government of Lao PDR’s policy in relation to preparation and finalization of national socio-economic development plan 2016-2020, Strategy 2025 and Vision 2030, which related to national sustainable development and green economy.
Mr. Thoumma Saleumxay, Deputy Director General of Department of Water Resource, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, chaired the meeting and expressed on the important of Integrated Water Resources Management, sustainable development management in Lao PDR in in his opening remarks.
In Bago River, water has been used for Agriculture, Industries and Tourist attraction which means the quality of water is important to be used for human and other living things.
Water of good quality should be clear and free from harmful substances and can be used by humans and other living things.
Myanmar Water Partnership and Global Water Partnership-Southeast Asia together with government organizations, University, NGOs, INGOs (total 55 participants) gathered to discuss about water quality monitoring and evaluation aspects in Bago River on 15th September 2015 at Irrigation Technology Center, Bago.
The Regional Workshop on South-South Cooperation in Flood Management organised by GWPO and GWP China was held from 14 to 16 December 2015 in Guangdong, China.
GWP Southeast Asia has produced a video as part of their Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP). It introduces the district of Maesot in west Thailand, where communities are helping each other to deal with flood related problems.