[enviro-vlc] First Announcement - Basin Development Plan 2nd Regional Stakeholder Forum October 15-16, 2009

[Vern Weitzel]

Subject: First Annoucement - Basin Development Plan 2nd Regional Stakeholder 
Forum October 15-16, 2009
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:14:52 -0700 (PDT)
From: suparerk janprasart <janprasart at yahoo.com>
Reply-To: suparerk janprasart <janprasart at yahoo.com>
To: Water Issues Announcement List <water-l at lists.iisd.ca>

Mekong River Commission



FIRST ANNOUCEMENT

Basin Development Plan 2nd Regional Stakeholder Forum:

“Unfolding Perspectives and Options for Sustainable Water Resources Development 
in the Mekong River Basin”

15 -16 October, 2009, Chiang Rai, Thailand


The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is very pleased to invite stakeholders from 
community representatives, national and regional civil society organizations, 
governmental agencies, private sectors in the Lower Mekong Basin and interested 
international networks to join the important annual event of the MRC namely 
”Basin Development Plan 2nd Regional Stakeholder Forum”.

The Forum will be held in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand on October 15-16, 2009, 
under the key theme “Unfolding Perspectives and Options for Sustainable Resource 
Development in the Mekong River Basin”. Of which, the heart of the Forum will 
focus on the dialogue and discussion on development options in the Mekong Basin 
and the new knowledge on water resources management issues presented by the MRC, 
key stakeholders and high credible researchers in the region.

The other focus of the Forum is also to seek critical views and inputs from 
stakeholders on the Planning Process of the Lower Mekong Basin led by the MRC 
which includes

•	One of the most important assignment of the MRC – the Cumulative Assessment 
on Hydrological, Economic, Social and Environmental Impacts from the key 
developmental sectors of mainstream & national tributary’s hydropower, 
irrigation, navigation, flood control and fishery in the LMB. What should be the 
best approach and how participatory should it be conducted?

•	The development of the Basin Development Strategy  for the LMB. What are the 
needs? What should it look like and how will it be recognized by and beneficial 
to all stakeholders?

•	The progress of the Stakeholder Participation and Communication Plan of the 
MRC Basin Planning Process. What have been the lessons learnt from the past two 
years of its implementation? How the process could meaningfully include the poor 
and marginalized groups? And how to involve many actors who are outside of the 
MRC’s arena? How could this will effectively influence decision makers?



This Forum is the key event of the MRC that will address and integrate all key 
issues within the Mekong Basin into one dialogue and to improve the MRC’s action 
plan that recognizes the whole Mekong River Basin as a single ecosystem.


The deadline for registration is September 21. The registration form is attached 
in the agenda of this Forum. The participation of the Forum is limited to 150 
participants. Nevertheless, there needs to ensure a balance of participants 
among the groups identified above therefore, please register early to secure a 
seat for your participation. Please return at your earliest convenience to Ms. 
Chitlatda Keomuangchanh, MRC BDP Programme, email: chitlatda at mrcmekong.org, or 
fax: +856 21 263 264.

The Forum will be conducted in English. Simultaneous translation from English 
into  Khmer, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese languages will be provided.


The MRC also extend an invitation to those stakeholder groups who are interested 
in presenting their relevant work in the exhibition of the Forum.


The venue will be announced shortly. You can also download the agenda at which 
will be weekly updated at 
http://www.mrcmekong.org/MRC_news/2nd-BDP-regional-stakeholder-forum.htm.


Other contact points

For technical information, exhibition and travel sponsorship please contact:
Mr. Suparerk Janprasart
Sociologist/Socio-economist
Basin Development Plan Programme
Mekong River Commission Secretariat
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Tel: + 856 21 263 263 ext: 2108
Fax: + 856 20 263 264
Email: Suparerk at mrcmekong.org

For communication and media, please contact
Mr. Khy Lim
Communication Officer
International Cooperation and Communication Section
Mekong River Commission Secretariat
Vientiane, Lao PDR
Tel: + 856 21 263 263 ext: 2418
Email: Khy at mrcmekong.org


The implementation of the Forum is made possible by the financial support of the 
Government of Denmark, Sweden and Australia. There is no  fee for participation. 
Limited financial support to assist travel and participation is available for 
participants from governmental agencies, representatives from community groups 
and national NGOs.