Mekong River Commission

Dutch Government provides US$12.74 million funding for Mekong River Commission Flood Programme

MRC No.21/04
Vientiane, 13 December 2004

 

The Government of the Netherlands has signed a US$12.74 million funding agreement with the Mekong River Commission to fund its new Flood Management and Mitigation Programme (FMMP). The agreement was signed on Friday, December 10 by the Ambassador of the Netherlands H E. Mr Gerben S. de Jong and Mekong River Commission Chief Executive Officer Dr Olivier Cogels in Vientiane, Lao PDR at the 9th Meeting of the Donor Consultative Group.

“In the years 2000-2002 more than 1,000 people in the Mekong Basin lost their lives to floods and the economic damage was conservatively estimated at more than US$500 million. The ongoing effects were felt by millions of people who lost crops, livestock or their homes,” explained Mekong River Commission Chief Executive Officer Dr Olivier Cogels. “Through the FMMP the MRC hopes to achieve its aim of minimising, preventing or mitigating peoples’ suffering and economic losses due to floods.”

“Flood damage is likely to increase with ongoing economic and infrastructure development and intensified land use in the Lower Mekong Basin and it is imperative that physical development proceeds in a way that minimises flood risk,” said H.E. Mr de Jong. “With the FMM Programme we have made another step in the development of the Mekong Region and the Netherlands can be considered a partner in sustainable development and poverty alleviation.”

The FMMP consists of six components to be implemented over six years and the Dutch funding will support three of these components. Component 1, the establishment of a Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Component 2, Structural Measures (through the Asian Development Bank); and Component 3, Mediation.

The establishment of the Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre is regarded as a high priority for flood preparedness and it is expected that this new centre come into operation by the middle of next year.

Flooding can have both positive and negative effects and solutions have to be found in cooperation with neighbouring countries if flood impacts are trans-boundary or cumulative. These trans-boundary flood management issues will come under the umbrella of the Mediation component, which will also help with facilitating regional cooperation and dialogue. The Structural Measures component of the FMMP aims to reduce the risk of flood disasters caused by failure of inappropriateness of structural intervention.

Donors from Germany, Denmark, Japan, the US and the ADB are supporting the FMMP.

For more information, please contact:

Ms Virginia Addison, Communications Officer,
Tel: 856 21 263 263 Ext 1122.
Mobile: (856) 20 559 9139
Fax: (856-21) 263 264
Email: virginia@mrcmekong.org
Website: www.mrcmekong.org

 

 

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