Water feeds, nourishes, moves, powers and heals

The sustainable management of water resources is the key to people’s lives and the development of society. When these resources cross international and regional boundaries, the demand becomes more complex, needing greater cooperation and involving a wider range of actors.

Throughout the world, there are hundreds of transboundary rivers and lakes. Today these resources are under increasing pressure from both environmental and man-made changes including potential uses of different sectors. This is also the case for the Mekong River whose vast transboundary water and related resources underpin multi-billion-dollar economic potential for the development of fisheries, agriculture and forestry, hydropower, navigation and trade. These can also bring about associated risks.

It is therefore even more urgent to address water in an integrated manner taking into account its inter-dependency with other sectors. Inter-governmental River Basin Organisations including the Mekong River Commission (MRC) have played a key role in ensuring that the joint management and development of shared resources will be made in the most sustainable and efficient manner.

  First in a series of biennial conferences

Set to be a milestone on the road to Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in 2012, Mekong₂Rio is an international gathering of key players aiming to share their expertise in transboundary water resources management. This is the first in a series of biennial conferences of its kind convened by the MRC.

The conference will be a platform for discussion on how existing River Basin Organisations manage and develop shared resources and how to strengthen their institutional frameworks, governing structures and management practices. The event will be an opportunity for them to exchange technical knowledge and address challenges on critical issues including energy, food and water.

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 was an historic milestone ensuring development is balanced with environmental and social concerns. The Rio+20 conference aims at assessing what has been achieved since then and which gaps need to be filled and what political commitments will be required. Mekong₂Rio will add a water dimension to Rio+20, whose themes are centred on a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and the institutional framework needed

Mekong₂Rio is a three-day platform for international River Basin Oragnisations, policy makers, leaders, government officials, civil society representatives, non-governmental organisations, academics and development agencies to share their vast experience and knowledge. The MRC will use this opportunity to bridge gaps in knowledge and exchange good practices among the participants.

There will be high-level plenary, parallel technical and dialogue sessions. Specific attention will be paid to the challenges the Mekong and other river basins are facing. The gathering will be a platform to promote an exchange of ideas that will lead to novel approaches, new solutions and the use of up-to-date technology, while protecting the environment and people’s livelihoods. A field trip will be organised for participants on May 4.