At the end of its one-day session in Ho Chi Minh City on April 5, the2nd summit of the Mekong River Commission issued a declaration,reaffirming the vital importance of sustainable use and management ofwater and related resources of the Mekong River Basin. Followingis the full text of the declaration:
“ Ho Chi Minh City Declaration
Water, Energy and Food security in the context of climate change
for the Mekong River Basin
5 April 2014
Preamble
We, the Heads of the Governments of the Kingdom of Cambodia , theLao People’s Democratic Republic, the Kingdom of Thailand , and theSocialist Republic of Viet Nam, meet in Ho Chi Minh City , Viet Nam ,for the Second Summit of the Mekong River Commission (MRC).
We reaffirm the vital importance of sustainable use and management ofwater and related resources of the Mekong River Basin and thecontinuing political commitment to implement the 1995 Mekong Agreement,and consolidate the spirit of Mekong cooperation;
We note that the development of water resources of the Mekong RiverBasin has contributed largely to the socio-economic development of theregion, such as for navigation, energy and food production, but also hasnegative environmental and social impacts in the Basin that need to befully and effectively addressed;
We recognise thatclimate change is a global issue, which has impacted the livelihoods andeconomy in all parts of the Mekong River Basin . Mitigation of andadaptation to climate change is crucial and needs to be urgentlyaddressed;
We recall the First MRC Summit’spriority actions and commitments, including adopting and implementingthe MRC IWRM-based Basin Development Strategy, the MRC Strategic Plan2011 – 2015, and identifying opportunities and risks of hydropower,irrigation, fisheries, navigation, flood and drought management,watershed management, tourism and environment including ecosystemmanagement in the Basin to food security and livelihoods;
We re-affirm our strong and continued commitment to cooperating andpromoting the sustainable development of the Mekong River Basin ,and in the utilisation, conservation and management of its water andrelated resources, and agree to the following statements:
Achievements since the First MRC Summit
We, the Heads of Governments, recognise the progress and achievementsover the last four years since the First MRC Summit.
Since the adoption of the MRC IWRM-based Basin Development Strategy in2011, we note with appreciation that the MRC Member Countries andSecretariat have made significant efforts to develop Regional andNational Action Plans for implementing the Strategy, which issupplementing Member Countries’ social and economic development plans.
We acknowledge the expanded implementation of theProcedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) tosupport sound decision-making on proposed water resources developmentprojects in the Mekong River Basin .
We arepleased to note that approval of the Procedures for Water Quality inearly 2011 completes the full set of MRC Water Utilization Procedures,which provide a procedural and technical framework to assist MRC MemberCountries in the sustainable use of water and related resources of theMekong River Basin .
We note the importance andusefulness of continuing exchange of data and information amongst MemberCountries under the Procedures of Data and Information Exchange andSharing (PDIES), and we highly appreciate enhanced cooperation with theMRC Dialogue Partners, namely People’s Republic of China andRepublic of the Union of Myanmar.
We recognise theprogress achieved in the riparianisation of the MRCS with the successfullaunch of the MRC Junior Riparian Professional Programme and increasednumbers of riparian staff and national experts working for the MRCS.
With a vision for the MRC to be financially sustainedby Member Countries by 2030, we acknowledge with appreciation thepreparations undertaken by the MRC for decentralised implementation ofits core river basin management functions outlined in one regional andfour national roadmaps, including priorities and milestones.
We are grateful for the increased financial and technical support fromDevelopment Partners that will sustain MRC programmes beyond 2015, andprepare for self-financing by 2030.
We also notethat the MRC has established a working relationship with the ASEAN andthe Mississippi River Commission and explored synergies with otherregional and international cooperation to further promote thesustainable development and management of the Mekong Basin ’s waterresources.
We acknowledge with appreciation theoutcomes of Mekong 2 Rio: International Conference on Trans-boundaryRiver Basin Management held on the 1-3 May 2012 in Phuket, Thailand,and the International Conference on Cooperation for Water, Energy andFood Security in Trans-boundary Basin under Changing Climate held onthe 2-3 April 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, which provided anexcellent opportunity to share and learn from global experiences intrans-boundary water development and management.
Regional opportunities and challenges
We, the Heads of Governments, acknowledge that the MRC faces both opportunities and challenges over the next decade.
Increasing development pressures such as population growth andeconomic expansion create huge demand for water, food and energy,placing a burden on the Mekong River Basin resources. At the sametime the global economic crises have reduced the availability ofinvestment and funding for MRC programmes. Assuring water security, andthereby removing imminent and increasing risks to food and energysecurity, economic growth and stability, is a daunting challenge theregion now faces.
In continuing efforts to mitigatenatural disasters, recognising climate change will continue to alterthe hydrological regime of the Basin impacting livelihoods andeconomies in all parts of the Basin.
Theimportance of strengthened cooperation for the sustainable developmentof the Mekong River Basin is acknowledged. New cooperationopportunities with other regional and international initiatives will beexplored; funding and technical support from new development partnerswill be sought, to help sustain and ensure MRC can continue itsimportant work.
Priority areas of action
We, the Heads of Governments, expect the MRC to focus on and prioritise:
i. Expediting theimplementation of the MRC Council’s Study on Sustainable Management andDevelopment of the Mekong River, including the impacts of mainstreamhydropower projects, in coordination with the Mekong Delta Studyinitiated by Viet Nam to provide sound advice and recommendations onsustainable development in the Basin;
ii.Reviewing, updating and implementing the IWRM-basedBasin Development Strategy and implementing the MRC Strategic Plan2011-2015, preparing and implementing the Strategic Plan 2016-2020 tohelp shape current and future development in the Basin ;
iii. Avoiding, reducing and mitigatingrisks to river ecology, food security, livelihoods and water qualityposed by intensive agriculture, aquaculture, and irrigation, as well ashydropower, navigation and other development activities in the Basin,recognising that the impacts of climate change could compound theserisks;
iv. Continuing toimprove the implementation of the MRC Procedures to support theimplementation of the 1995 Mekong Agreement; committing to theeffective implementation of the MRC Procedures to realise its goals;
v. Exploring andidentifying opportunities to expand cooperation between the MRC DialoguePartners, current and new Development Partners and other regional andinternational initiatives;
vi.Furthering the efforts in basin wide disaster risk reduction forfloods, droughts and impact of sea level rise; monitoring and takingmeasures to maintain good water quality in the Mekong River Basin;
Way ahead
We, the Heads of Governments, reaffirm our solidarity and the highestlevel of political commitment to the implementation of the 1995 MekongAgreement;
We commit to working together tostrengthen the role of the MRC in ensuring the application of anintegrated water resources management approach to ensure the sustainableuse and conservation of water, food, and energy resources in theRegion;
We reiterate our support for enhancing andstrengthening the MRC’s working relationships and cooperation withDialogue Partners, Development Partners, international and regionalinitiatives, civil society, the private sector and others; and call upontheir support and assistance to the MRC and its individual MemberCountries in implementing projects and studies on sustainabledevelopment in the Mekong River Basin;
We alsoexpress our support to the MRC to continue making preparations todecentralise MRC core river basin management functions, paving the roadfor the organisation to be fully self-financed by 2030;
We emphasise the needs to prioritize capacity building for the Member Countries;
We agree to task the MRC Council to ensure the effectiveimplementation of this Declaration through practical programmes andprojects.
We express our sincere appreciation toViet Nam for hosting the Second MRC Summit, and we look forward tothe third MRC Summit to be held in April 2018 in Cambodia .
ADOPTED at Ho Chi Minh City , Viet Nam on 5 April 2014 in the English Language.”-VNA
“ Ho Chi Minh City Declaration
Water, Energy and Food security in the context of climate change
for the Mekong River Basin
5 April 2014
Preamble
We, the Heads of the Governments of the Kingdom of Cambodia , theLao People’s Democratic Republic, the Kingdom of Thailand , and theSocialist Republic of Viet Nam, meet in Ho Chi Minh City , Viet Nam ,for the Second Summit of the Mekong River Commission (MRC).
We reaffirm the vital importance of sustainable use and management ofwater and related resources of the Mekong River Basin and thecontinuing political commitment to implement the 1995 Mekong Agreement,and consolidate the spirit of Mekong cooperation;
We note that the development of water resources of the Mekong RiverBasin has contributed largely to the socio-economic development of theregion, such as for navigation, energy and food production, but also hasnegative environmental and social impacts in the Basin that need to befully and effectively addressed;
We recognise thatclimate change is a global issue, which has impacted the livelihoods andeconomy in all parts of the Mekong River Basin . Mitigation of andadaptation to climate change is crucial and needs to be urgentlyaddressed;
We recall the First MRC Summit’spriority actions and commitments, including adopting and implementingthe MRC IWRM-based Basin Development Strategy, the MRC Strategic Plan2011 – 2015, and identifying opportunities and risks of hydropower,irrigation, fisheries, navigation, flood and drought management,watershed management, tourism and environment including ecosystemmanagement in the Basin to food security and livelihoods;
We re-affirm our strong and continued commitment to cooperating andpromoting the sustainable development of the Mekong River Basin ,and in the utilisation, conservation and management of its water andrelated resources, and agree to the following statements:
Achievements since the First MRC Summit
We, the Heads of Governments, recognise the progress and achievementsover the last four years since the First MRC Summit.
Since the adoption of the MRC IWRM-based Basin Development Strategy in2011, we note with appreciation that the MRC Member Countries andSecretariat have made significant efforts to develop Regional andNational Action Plans for implementing the Strategy, which issupplementing Member Countries’ social and economic development plans.
We acknowledge the expanded implementation of theProcedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) tosupport sound decision-making on proposed water resources developmentprojects in the Mekong River Basin .
We arepleased to note that approval of the Procedures for Water Quality inearly 2011 completes the full set of MRC Water Utilization Procedures,which provide a procedural and technical framework to assist MRC MemberCountries in the sustainable use of water and related resources of theMekong River Basin .
We note the importance andusefulness of continuing exchange of data and information amongst MemberCountries under the Procedures of Data and Information Exchange andSharing (PDIES), and we highly appreciate enhanced cooperation with theMRC Dialogue Partners, namely People’s Republic of China andRepublic of the Union of Myanmar.
We recognise theprogress achieved in the riparianisation of the MRCS with the successfullaunch of the MRC Junior Riparian Professional Programme and increasednumbers of riparian staff and national experts working for the MRCS.
With a vision for the MRC to be financially sustainedby Member Countries by 2030, we acknowledge with appreciation thepreparations undertaken by the MRC for decentralised implementation ofits core river basin management functions outlined in one regional andfour national roadmaps, including priorities and milestones.
We are grateful for the increased financial and technical support fromDevelopment Partners that will sustain MRC programmes beyond 2015, andprepare for self-financing by 2030.
We also notethat the MRC has established a working relationship with the ASEAN andthe Mississippi River Commission and explored synergies with otherregional and international cooperation to further promote thesustainable development and management of the Mekong Basin ’s waterresources.
We acknowledge with appreciation theoutcomes of Mekong 2 Rio: International Conference on Trans-boundaryRiver Basin Management held on the 1-3 May 2012 in Phuket, Thailand,and the International Conference on Cooperation for Water, Energy andFood Security in Trans-boundary Basin under Changing Climate held onthe 2-3 April 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, which provided anexcellent opportunity to share and learn from global experiences intrans-boundary water development and management.
Regional opportunities and challenges
We, the Heads of Governments, acknowledge that the MRC faces both opportunities and challenges over the next decade.
Increasing development pressures such as population growth andeconomic expansion create huge demand for water, food and energy,placing a burden on the Mekong River Basin resources. At the sametime the global economic crises have reduced the availability ofinvestment and funding for MRC programmes. Assuring water security, andthereby removing imminent and increasing risks to food and energysecurity, economic growth and stability, is a daunting challenge theregion now faces.
In continuing efforts to mitigatenatural disasters, recognising climate change will continue to alterthe hydrological regime of the Basin impacting livelihoods andeconomies in all parts of the Basin.
Theimportance of strengthened cooperation for the sustainable developmentof the Mekong River Basin is acknowledged. New cooperationopportunities with other regional and international initiatives will beexplored; funding and technical support from new development partnerswill be sought, to help sustain and ensure MRC can continue itsimportant work.
Priority areas of action
We, the Heads of Governments, expect the MRC to focus on and prioritise:
i. Expediting theimplementation of the MRC Council’s Study on Sustainable Management andDevelopment of the Mekong River, including the impacts of mainstreamhydropower projects, in coordination with the Mekong Delta Studyinitiated by Viet Nam to provide sound advice and recommendations onsustainable development in the Basin;
ii.Reviewing, updating and implementing the IWRM-basedBasin Development Strategy and implementing the MRC Strategic Plan2011-2015, preparing and implementing the Strategic Plan 2016-2020 tohelp shape current and future development in the Basin ;
iii. Avoiding, reducing and mitigatingrisks to river ecology, food security, livelihoods and water qualityposed by intensive agriculture, aquaculture, and irrigation, as well ashydropower, navigation and other development activities in the Basin,recognising that the impacts of climate change could compound theserisks;
iv. Continuing toimprove the implementation of the MRC Procedures to support theimplementation of the 1995 Mekong Agreement; committing to theeffective implementation of the MRC Procedures to realise its goals;
v. Exploring andidentifying opportunities to expand cooperation between the MRC DialoguePartners, current and new Development Partners and other regional andinternational initiatives;
vi.Furthering the efforts in basin wide disaster risk reduction forfloods, droughts and impact of sea level rise; monitoring and takingmeasures to maintain good water quality in the Mekong River Basin;
Way ahead
We, the Heads of Governments, reaffirm our solidarity and the highestlevel of political commitment to the implementation of the 1995 MekongAgreement;
We commit to working together tostrengthen the role of the MRC in ensuring the application of anintegrated water resources management approach to ensure the sustainableuse and conservation of water, food, and energy resources in theRegion;
We reiterate our support for enhancing andstrengthening the MRC’s working relationships and cooperation withDialogue Partners, Development Partners, international and regionalinitiatives, civil society, the private sector and others; and call upontheir support and assistance to the MRC and its individual MemberCountries in implementing projects and studies on sustainabledevelopment in the Mekong River Basin;
We alsoexpress our support to the MRC to continue making preparations todecentralise MRC core river basin management functions, paving the roadfor the organisation to be fully self-financed by 2030;
We emphasise the needs to prioritize capacity building for the Member Countries;
We agree to task the MRC Council to ensure the effectiveimplementation of this Declaration through practical programmes andprojects.
We express our sincere appreciation toViet Nam for hosting the Second MRC Summit, and we look forward tothe third MRC Summit to be held in April 2018 in Cambodia .
ADOPTED at Ho Chi Minh City , Viet Nam on 5 April 2014 in the English Language.”-VNA
