A Launch ceremony and inception workshop on Enhancing Integrated Water Management and Climate Resilience in Vulnerable Urban Areas of the Mekong River Basin took place on 02 August 2022. This regional project is funded by the Ministry of the Environment, of the Republic of Korea and implemented by UNDP in Lao PDR and Cambodia, and will improve risk and vulnerability assessments and integrated approaches to water management. Two Korean agencies, Asia Water Council and K-Water will also participate in the project to provide support to the Government of Lao PDR and the Government of Cambodia with their hydrological and climate modelling technologies, with a total worth of USD 4,286,730 (five billion Korean Won) for four years.

In Lao PDR, the project target areas are the catchments of Xe Don and Xe Bang Fai River basins in Khammouane and Champasack Provinces.The Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is the partnering government organization and coordinates the collaboration with other relevant departments of the Ministry, Department of Social Welfare of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, and the Provincial stakeholders. The project has already initiated some activities such as a baseline survey and the development of a gender action plan.

The launch ceremony was attended by Dr. Inthavy Akkharath, Director General, Department of Water Resources, Mr. Jeongsup Kim, Second Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lao PDR, and Ms. Ricarda Rieger, Resident Representative, UNDP Lao PDR.

Dr. Inthavy Akkharath explained the Government’s initiatives in integrated water resource management and emphasized the importance of this project in achieving the 9^th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2021-2025). Ms. Ricarda Rieger highlighted the combination of participatory community planning based on scientific data and technological tools, such as geographic information systems and climate modelling, and called for close collaboration with the existing initiatives by the Government of Lao PDR and development partners in this field. Mr. Jeongsup Kim expressed that the Republic of Korea is also relying on, and benefitting from the Hangang River in Seoul and reiterated the continued support from the Government and people of the Republic of Korea for integrated water management in the Mekong River basin of Lao PDR.

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For more information, please contact: 

Ms. Aksonethip Somvorachit 

UNDP Communications Analyst

Lane Xang Avenue, P.O. Box 345 

Vientiane, Lao PDR 

aksonethip.somvorachit@undp.org  

+856 20 5502 1550