Water

Dams and Development E-Paper Contents

p. 54 of 74 BACK | NEXT Home Page of Dams and Development Foreword I. Why an e-paper on dams and development? II. Assessing options III. Participatory processes IV. Social impacts V. Environmental impacts VI. Benefit distribution VII. Dam safety and sustainability VIII. Existing projects IX. Improving governance Institutional reforms in the water sector Regional cooperation Mechanisms to encourage compliance Reducing corruption What do ADB policies say? X. What other organizations say XI. ADB, Dams, and Development XII. References Contact Us

Institutional reforms in the water sector - national apex bodies and river basin organizations

Planning in the water sector occurs within a range of different political and institutional systems and involves a wide spectrum of regulatory and sectoral agencies. The degree of civil society involvement also varies considerably from country to country. Key governance challenges are outlined on ADB's Governance webpages.

Increased competition for water resources and better understanding of the social and environmental impacts of water resources projects has led to a call for more integrated water resources management (IWRM). Institutional responses include establishment of national apex bodies to set policy and strategy directions and river basin organizations to act as a mechanism for cross-sectoral planning and management.

National apex bodies

At an institutional level, there is a need for improved cross-sectoral integration. Over the past 10 years, ADB has been promoting the formation of national apex bodies for water resources management and formation of river basin organizations to:

• promote a national focus on water sector reform, through the formulation and adoption of effective national water policies, water laws, improved institutional capacities, information management, and a national action agenda for the water sector;
• guide a water sector reform process in which the relevant stakeholders in the country collaborate to achieve agreed water sector outcomes; and
• facilitate policy dialogue and investment partnerships in the water sector with development partners, including ADB.

A regional workshop of apex bodies was held in Hanoi in May 2004. The proceedings provide an overview of the experiences of and challenges facing the apex bodies.

River basin organizations

At river basin level, a similar rationale exists for an institution that can take a cross sectoral view of development and management issues. WCD thematic review V.3 River basin institutional frameworks and management options provides a broad overview and detailed description of the functions of RBOs.

Further details of specific RBOs can be found through the website of the International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO) and the Network of Asian River Basin Organizations (NARBO). An example of how stakeholders can come together to resolve competing demands can seen in the Ping River in NE Thailand - see the ADB Water Voices Video

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