Lao PDR: Updating the National Water Policy and Strategy

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Lao PDR: Updating the National Water Policy and Strategy Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report Project Number: 40193 December 2007 Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Updating the National Water Policy and Strategy (Cofinanced by the Government of Australia) Prepared by Alfred Birch GHD Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Australia For Water Resources and Environment Administration This consultant’s report does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB or the Government concerned, and ADB and the Government cannot be held liable for its contents. FINAL REPORT UPDATING THE NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES POLICY AND STRATEGY (ADB TA 7013-LAO) Component 1: Diagnostic Assessment of Water Data and Analysis Systems Component 2: National Water Resources Policy and Strategy Development October 2010 Updating the National Water Resources Policy & Strategy, TA 7013-LAO Final Report, October 2010 GHD Pty Ltd ABN 3900 8488373 Head Office Level 8, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne. VIC 3000. Australia. Telephone: 61-3-8687 8199; Facsimile: 61-3-8687 8111; Email: [email protected] Project Office c/- Department of Water Resources Water Resource and Environment Administration PO Box 7864, Office of the Prime Minister Nahaldieo Road, Vientiane Lao PDR Tel: +856 20 6335718 Email: [email protected] Document Status Reviewer Approved for Issue Rev No. Author Name Signature Name Signature Date 0 Alf Birch i Updating the National Water Resources Policy & Strategy, TA 7013-LAO Final Report, October 2010 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TA 7013-LAO Component 1 (Diagnostic Assessment of Water Data and Analysis Systems) and Component 2 (National Water Resources Policy and Strategy Development) have been carried out in cooperation between the Department of Water Resources and a consultant team under the leadership of GHD Pty Ltd between November 2008 and an expected completion in October 2010. The objective of Component 1 was to review water data, information and analytical tools and to prepare a strategy regarding these, while the objective of Component 2 was to develop and receive Government adoption of a National Water Resources Policy, Strategy and Action Plan. In addition, the Project was to ensure that a WREA website is established and training provided. In response to these objectives the Project mobilized in the 4th quarter of 2008. Component 1 work carried out assessments of water resource data and modeling in the early part of 2009 and by the 3rd quarter of the year reports and strategies were prepared and consultations held. These were used as inputs to the National Water Resource Policy and Strategy and to the preparation of the National IWRM Support Program in the last quarter of 2009. Component 2 drafted a Water Policy Framework in the first half of 2009, held consultations on this Framework and received WREA approval by mid-year. In the 3rd quarter “key results area” papers were prepared on priority policy topics. Preparation of a first draft of the National Water Resources Policy and Strategy took place in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2009. In the 1st quarter of 2010 the Policy and Strategy were significantly redrafted in response to WREA requests. Consultations with a wide range of central and local stakeholders were held, mostly in the 2nd quarter of 2010. Final review and approval took place in the 3rd and 4th quarters, in particular through a meeting of the Lao National Mekong Committee in July. At the time of this report’s preparation it is expected that the National Cabinet will review and possibly approve the Policy and Strategy in late October 2010. In 3rd quarter of 2010 detailed implementation and monitoring plans were prepared and discussed with WREA. Assistance was given to WREA to consolidate and strengthen its website in the first part of 2009. The combined website became operational in the 4th quarter of 2009. A review and recommendations for strengthening the website was conducted in the 2nd quarter of 2010 and final training to put these recommendations into effect took place in the 3rd quarter of that year. The Project work was carefully coordinated with parallel activities in the water resources sector. The Nam Ngum River Basin Development Sector Project and the present Project’s Component 3 (preparation of a Lao IWRM Support Program) were completed near the beginning of Components 1 and 2 and provided important inputs on both the data and modeling and policy and strategy work. Ongoing work by WREA and development partners to develop the IWRM Support Program took place throughout the Project period and is still continuing. The National Water Resource Policy and Strategy, with Government approval, will provide a strong basis for the program approach being taken by WREA. The Project has also assisted WREA to develop implementation and monitoring tools for the Support Program and for its five-year strategic plan regarding water resources and disaster management. Coordination was also achieved with a TA 7013-Lao Extension component which was mobilized in May 2010 to assist WREA in establishing governance arrangements for the IWRM Support Program and also in supporting the newly announced Nam Ngum River Basin Committee and related support. 31/23431 ii Updating the National Water Resources Policy & Strategy, TA 7013-LAO Final Report, October 2010 Project manpower inputs were used in accordance with the original contract between ADB and GHD Pty Ltd and subsequent contract amendments (with Contract Amendment 3 being outstanding at present). Some adjustments were made in the international and local team members during the Project in response to availability and performance issues. Manpower inputs have been essentially fully used at the time of Project completion. The overall objectives of the Project have proven to be very relevant and appropriate. The Project was well timed to assist WREA, as a relatively new organization in Government, to systematically develop its strategic direction and plans. There has been considerable interest and growing awareness at all levels of Government regarding the Project process and the resulting outputs. The Project methodology proved to be successful. A significant level of involvement by WREA staff and other government and non-government stakeholders was maintained through working groups, advisory committees and various workshops. The consultation process on the draft Policy and Strategy was carried out with strong WREA leadership. The Project appears to have also been reasonably successful in building capacity within WREA, both in terms of the policy development process and the contents of the Policy and Strategy. Capacity has also been developed with respect to the WREA website. The major issue at the time of Project completion is the sustainability of the IWRM policy and strategy initiative by WREA. This will require such things as ongoing high level awareness and support for the NWRPS, adequate funding and staff within WREA and its local offices and RBCs, stronger cooperation with other key agencies, and ongoing coordination and support by development partners. 31/23431 iii Updating the National Water Resources Policy and Strategy, TA 7013-LAO Final Report, October 2010 ບດສະຫລົ ບສຸ ງລວມຫຍັ ໍ ້ ອງປະກອບົ 1 (ການປະເມນຂີ ໍມ້ ນນູ າໍ້ ແລະ ການວເຄາະລະບິ ບົ ) ແລະ ອງປະກອບົ 2 (ການພດທະນາັ ນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ຍດທະສາດຸ ຊບພະຍາກອນນັ າແຫໍ້ ງຊາດ່ ) ຂອງໂຄງການ TA 7013-LAO ໄດຈ້ ດຕັ ງປະຕັ້ ບິ ດັ ການຮວມມ່ ື ລະຫວາງ່ ກມຊົ ບພະຍາກອນນັ າໍ້ ແລະ ທີມ ງານຊຽວຊານ່ ທ່ ີຢພາຍໃຕູ່ ການນ້ າພາໍ ຂອງ ບໍລິສດັ GHD Pty Ltd ໃນລະຫວາງ່ ເດອນພະຈື ກິ 2008 ແລະ ຄາດວາຈະສ່ າເລໍ ັດພາຍໃນ ເດອນື ຕລາຸ 2010. ຈດປະສຸ ງົ ຂອງ ອງປະກອບົ 1 ແມນ່ ເພ່ ືອທບທວນຂົ ໍມ້ ນູ , ຂາວສານ່ ແລະ ເຄ່ ອງມື ື ກຽວກ່ ບຊັ ບພະຍາກອນນັ າໍ້ ແລະ ກະກຽມ ຍດທະສາດຸ ໂດຍອງໃສີ ຂ່ ໍມ້ ນເຫລູ ່ ົານ.ີ້ ໃນເວລາດຽວກນັ , ຈດປະສຸ ງົ ຂອງອງົ ປະກອບ 2 ແມນ່ ເພ່ ືອພດທະນາັ ແລະ ຮບຮອງເອັ ົາ ການປບປັ ງຸ ນະໂຍບາຍຊບພະຍາກອນນັ າແຫໍ້ ງຊາດ່ , ຍດທະຸ ສາດ ແລະ ແຜນຈດຕັ ງປະຕັ້ ບິ ດັ . ນອກຈາກນ,ີ້ ໂຄງການຍງຮັ ບປະກັ ນວັ າ່ ເວັບຊາຍຂອງ ອງົ ການຊບພະຍາກອນນັ າໍ້ ແລະ ສ່ ງແວດລິ ອມໄດ້ ້ ຮບການສັ າງຕ້ ງັ້ ແລະ ສະໜອງ ການຝຶກອບົ ຮມໃຫົ .້ ເພ່ ືອຕອບສະໜອງກບຈັ ດປະສຸ ງເຫລົ ່ ົານ,ີ້ ໂຄງການໄດລ້ ິເລີມພາຍໃນໄຕມາດທ້ ່ ີ 4 ປີ 2008. ວຽກຂອງອງປະກອບົ 1 ໄດດ້ າເນໍ ນການປະເມີ ນີ ຂໍມ້ ນູ ແລະ ຮບແບບຈູ າລອງຊໍ ບພະຍາກອນັ ນາພາຍໃນຕໍ້ ນປົ້ ີ 2009 ແລະ ພາຍໃນໄຕມາດທ່ ີ 3 ໃນບດສະຫລົ ບປະຈຸ າປໍ ີ ແລະ ກະກຽມການ ຈດຕັ ງກອງປະຊັ້ ຸມປຶກສາຫາລື, ເຊ່ງໄດີ ນ້ າເອໍ ົາ ຄວາມຄດເຫິ ັນຂອງ ກອງປະຊຸມດງກ່ັ າວ່ ເປັນພື້ນ ຖານນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ຍດທະສາດຸ ຊບພະຍາກອນນັ າແຫໍ້ ງຊາດ່ ແລະ ການກະກຽມ ໂຄງການ ສະໜບສະໜັ ນູ ການຄມຄອງຊຸ້ ບພະຍາກອນນັ າແບບປະສໍ້ ມປະສານົ (National IWRM Support Program) ພາຍໃນທາຍໄຕມາດຂອງ້ ປີ 2009. ການຮາງກອບ່ ນະໂຍບາຍ ຊບພະຍາກອນນັ າໍ້ ຂອງອງປະກອນົ 2 ພາຍໃນ ກາງປີ 2009, ເຊ່ງໄດິ ຈ້ ດກອງປະຊັ ຸມປຶກສາຫາລ ື ໃນກອບແຜນ ງານນ ີ້ ແລະ ໄດຮ້ ບການຮັ ບຮອງອະນັ ມຸ ດັ ພາຍໃນກາງປີດຽວກນັ . ພາຍໃນທາຍໄຕມາດທ້ ີ 3, ໄດມ້ ການກະກຽມີ ເອກະສານ ຈດສຸ າຄໍ ນທັ ່ ີຄວນເອົາໃຈໃສ ່ “key results area” ເຊ່ງເປິ ັນ ເອກະ ສານທ່ ີສາຄໍ ນໃນການຈັ ດລຽງຫັ ວຂົ ໍຕ້ າງໆ່ ທ່ ີເປັນບລູ ິມະສດຢິ ໃນເນູ່ ອໃນນະໂຍບາຍື້ . ການກະກຽມ ຮາງເອກະສານ່ ນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ຍດຸ ທະສາດຊບພະຍາກອນນັ າໄດໍ້ ມ້ ຂີ ນໃນໄລຍະຶ້ ໄຕມາດທ່ ີ 3 ຫາ 4 ປີ 2009. ໃນໄລຍະໄຕມາດ ທ່ ີ 1 ປີ 2010 ເປັນຂດໝາຍທີ ່ ີສາຄໍ ນໃນການັ ປບປັ ງຮຸ າງ່ ນະໂຍບາຍ ແລະ ຍດທະສາດຸ ຊບພະຍາກອນນັ າແຫໍ້ ງຊາດ່ , ເຊ່ງໄດິ ຕອບສະໜອງຕາມຄວາມ້ iv 31/23431 Updating the National Water Resources Policy and Strategy, TA 7013-LAO Final Report, October 2010 ຮຽກຮອງຂອງອຊນສ້ ກອງປະຊຸມ ປຶກສາຫາລືໄດເປ້ ີດກວາງໃຫ້ ມ້ ການປະກອບີ ຄວາມຄດເຫິ ັນ ຂອງພາກສວນກ່ ຽວຂ່ ອງ້ ທງລະດັ ບັ ສນກາງູ ແລະ ທອງຖ້ ່ນໃນໄລຍະໄຕມາດທີ ີ 2 ປີ 2010. ການທບທວນົ ແລະ ການອະນມຸ ດໄລຍະສັ ດທຸ າຍ້ ແມນໄດ່ ດ້ າເນໍ ນໄປໃນໄລຍະໄຕມາດີ ທ່ ີ 3 ແລະ 4, ໂດຍສະເພາະແມນກອງປະຊ່ ຸມຂອງຄະນະກາມະການແມໍ ນ່ າຂອງແຫໍ້ ງຊາດລາວທ່ ່ ີຈດຂັ ນຶ້ ໃນເດອນກື ລະກໍ ດົ 2010. ຢໃນໄຕມາດທູ່ ່ ີ 3 ປີ 2010 ນ ີ້ ແມນໄດ່ ລ້ ງລາຍົ ລະອຽດ ກຽວກ່ ບັ ແຜນການການຈດຕັ ງປະຕັ້ ບິ ດັ ແລະ ການຕດຕາມກວດກາຢິ ພາຍໃນູ່ ອຊນສ. ອຊນສ ໄດຮ້ ບການຊັ ວຍເຫລ່ ືອ ແລະ ຮວມມ່ ໃນການເພື ີ້ມຄວາມເຂັມແຂງໃຫ້ ການປະຕ້ ບິ ດງານັ ຂອງເວບຊາຍ ໃນຕນປົ້ ີ 2009, ເຊ່ງມີ ການສີ ງລວມເວບຊາຍເຂັ ົ້າຮວມກນັ ແລະ ເລີມເປ້ ີດການ ນາໃຊໍ ບ້ ໍລິການພາຍໃນໄຕມາດທ່ ີ 4 ປີ 2009. ພາຍໃນໄຕມາດທ່ ີ 2 ປີ 2010 ໄດມ້ ການີ ທບົ ທວນ, ປະກອບຄວາມເຫັນໃນການສາງຄວາມເຂ້ ັມແຂງໃຫ້ ເວບຊາຍ້ ແລະ ໄດສ້ ງລວມເອັ ົາ ຂໍຄ້ ດິ ເຫັນເພ່ ືອປບປັ ງເວບຊາຍໃຫຸ ດ້ ຂີ ນຶ້ , ເຊ່ງໄດີ ຈ້ ດຂັ ນຶ້ ໃນໄຕມາດ ທີ 3 ຂອງປີດຽວກນັ . ໜາວຽກຂອງໂຄງການ້ ໄດມ້ ການປະສານງານກີ ນດັ ວຍຄວາມລະມ້ ດລະວັ ງເປັ ັນຢາງດ່ ,ີ ເຊ່ງດິ າເນໍ ນີ ໄປຄຽງຄກູ່ ບກັ ດຈະກິ າຕໍ າງໆ່ ຂອງ ຂະແໜງການນາອໍ້ ່ ນໆື .
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