2025

Bali, Indonesia | June 4, 2025 — Water resource leaders from across Southeast Asia convened in Bali for the 25th ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management (AWGWRM) Meeting. The event featured an open consultation in collaboration with the UN Water Convention, focusing on advancing transboundary water cooperation in the region.

Putrajaya, Malaysia | June 3, 2025 – Malaysia hosted a landmark regional workshop titled “From the Source to the Sea: Operationalising the 2040 Agenda” at the Zenith Hotel in Putrajaya.

Chengdu, China | 15–23 May 2025 — Against rising global concern over climate-induced infrastructure challenges, the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) held its 93rd General Assembly and 26th Congress was held. The event gathered over a thousand global experts, policymakers, engineers, and practitioners to examine the future of water infrastructure in an increasingly unpredictable world.

Bangkok, April 9, 2025 - Southeast Asia is facing increasing water-related challenges as climate change intensifies. To address these risks, a regional workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand from 8 – 9 April 2025, brought together experts and leaders from Cambodia, Lao PDR, and beyond to strengthen water and drought risk management under a flagship Climate Risk & Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative.

Jakarta, January 30, 2025 – The Center for Hydrology and Water Environment, Ministry of Public Works Indonesia, hosted an international webinar titled “Water Can’t Wait: Accelerating the Adoption of Innovations in the Water, Energy, and Food Security Nexus.” The hybrid event drew around 900 participants, both online and in person, including leading experts and policymakers.

Water, vital for sustaining life, is becoming increasingly scarce as global demand has surged tenfold over the past century. In Southeast Asia, ASEAN countries share 19 transboundary water resources, including surface and groundwater, most of which are managed bilaterally. The Mekong River Commission (MRC), formed by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, aims to promote sustainable development, management, and conservation of the Mekong Basin. Despite growing cooperation, challenges remain, such as the lack of legal frameworks for managing shared aquifers and the absence of cooperation mechanisms beyond the Mekong region. Water diplomacy provides a vital approach, offering strategies to address disputes and foster joint water governance through political processes that extend beyond traditional water agreements.