Hatfield supports the Mekong River Commission’s Basin Action Plan
Dec 02, 2011
Hatfield is supporting the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in its Basin Action Planning process to address strategic priorities elaborated within the Integrated Water Resource Management-based Basin Development Strategy (IWRM-Strategy), and to strengthen the framework for overall planning and management of the Lower Mekong River Basin.
Hatfield’s contributions to this program build on a history of providing water policy, water governance, and IWRM expertise to governments and river basin organizations around the world.
Thomas Boivin, the Managing Director of Hatfield Consultants Mekong, in his capacity of a Regional Advisor to the MRC is assisting with the preparation of a Regional Action Plan, which will govern activities of MRC Programmes and regional components of the IWRM-Strategy over the period 2011–2015. Sokhem Pech, Hatfield’s Manager of International Development, serves as a Senior Advisor to the Cambodia National Mekong Committee and the MRC in developing a National Indicative Plan, elaborating how Cambodia will respond to the Strategic Priorities within the IWRM-Strategy. Sokhem Pech also provides support to the Regional Basin Development Plan team in the development of Regional Action Plans and a MRC Basin Action Plan.
Regional Action Plans and the National Indicative Plan developed by the four Lower Mekong Basin countries – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, will form the MRC Basin Action Plan. Preparation of these plans will be supported by extensive consultation of regional and national stakeholders and will help shape utilization of water resources throughout the Basin.
Hatfield also supports other IWRM institutions in the Mekong, particularly, the Mekong Basin Development Challenge of CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF). In 2010, Mr. Pech supported representatives of the Cambodian Government and in-country agencies to implement the CPWF-Mekong Basin Development Challenge (BDC), and associated Mekong Projects. Hatfield is currently coordinating Component 1 of the Mekong Project (MK4) on Water Governance, which will identify governance structures required to fairly and efficiently manage water storage infrastructure for multiple uses. Hatfield also supports MK5 in implementing series of hydropower and water resources planning sustainability assessments, and developing Multi Stakeholder Platforms to translate research results of MK Projects into developmental actions. Hatfield will also assist with the coordination of future activities in Cambodia, and potentially in Laos and Viet Nam, through a multi-sectoral panel on water, food and energy.
Hatfield draws on over twenty years of experience working in in the Mekong region, and is now supported by a recently opened office in Vientiane, Lao PDR. This new base of operations will allow Hatfield to improve service to a growing client base throughout the Mekong Region.
For more information, please contact us:
Dr. Sokhem Pech
Senior Governance Specialist
HATFIELD CONSULTANTS PARTNERSHIP
E-mail: hcp@hatfieldgroup.com
Tel.: +1 604 926 3261
Toll-Free: 1 866 926 3261
Thomas Boivin
Managing Director
HATFIELD CONSULTANTS MEKONG
E-mail: hcm@hatfieldgroup.com
Tel.: +856 20 23229998
