Background information

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) aims for the sustainable development of the Lower Mekong River Basin for the benefit of its people. Over the years, the MRC has convened basin-wide planning process, joint assessments and implementation of MRC Procedures. Two important activities  under the Commission’s work are currently the Study on the Sustainable Development and Management of the Mekong River (or “the Council Study”) and the Prior Consultation process for the proposed Pak Beng Hydropower Project. 

The overall objective of the Council Study is to further enhance the ability to advise Member Countries on the positive and negative impacts of water resources development on people, economies and the environment of the Mekong River Basin. The Pak Beng prior consultation process is part of the implementation of the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA). It will serve as a platform for the MRC Member Countries and other relevant stakeholders to discuss and provide views on the Pak Beng hydropower project and whether it reflects a reasonable and equitable use of the Mekong River System and how it could be done to avoid, minimize and mitigate the negative impacts, especially the ones of transboundary nature.

The knowledge and perspectives of all interested stakeholders are valuable to the assessment process for both the Council Study and the review of the Pak Beng project. 

Forum Objectives

  1. To share information on the progress and expected outputs of the two key works of the MRC: the Council Study and the Pak Beng prior consultation process;

  2. To jointly review and provide comments and recommendations on the design of the council study assessment method, tools and indicators;

  3. To share information, exchange and document views on the proposed Pak Beng hydropower project and importance of stakeholder engagement during the process and beyond.

Participants

The Forum expect to have the following representatives and participants:

  • MRC member country governments
  • MRC Dialogue Partners (China and Myanmar)
  • Development partners and agencies
  • Regional/international NGOs
  • Regional/international research institutes
  • Private developers  
  • Regional/international media
  • Others 

Date and venue

Date and venue: 22-23 February 2017 at Luang Prabang

Presentations of the Forum_Day 2

  Please click to Download

Fee

Participation is open and free of charge but registration is required by: 10 February 2017.

Administrative Note

Please click to Download!

Support

A limited financial support is available to assist participants from highly relevant organizations. Please contact the organizers. 

Registration

To register for the forum, please fill in the attached form (Download register form) and send it back before 10 February 2017 to:

Ms. Varaphone Silaphet
Secretary of Planning Division, Office of the Secretariat in Vientiane (OSV)
Tel: (856-21) 263263 Ext: 2115 | Email: varaphone@mrcmekong.org.

Agenda

Please click to Download Agenda.

Documents

For documents on the Council Study, please visit https://goo.gl/Y9j6ta

For documents on the Pak Beng hydropower project, please visit https://goo.gl/ZmKE99

 

Contact points:

For registration, travel arrangement, accommodation, and travel sponsorship

Ms. Varaphone Silaphet
Secretary of Planning Division, Office of the Secretariat in Vientiane (OSV)
Tel: (856-21) 263263 Ext: 2115 | Email: varaphone@mrcmekong.org.

 

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