Lao People's Democratic Republic: Updating the National Water Policy and Strategy

Project Name Updating the National Water Policy and Strategy
Project Number 40193-012
Country / Economy Lao People's Democratic Republic
Project Status Closed
Project Type / Modality of Assistance Technical Assistance
Source of Funding / Amount
TA 7013-LAO: Updating the National Water Policy and Strategy
Technical Assistance Special Fund US$ 500,000.00
Government of Australia US$ 500,000.00
TA 7013-LAO: Updating the National Water Policy and Strategy (Supplementary)
Government of Australia US$ 300,000.00
Strategic Agendas Environmentally sustainable growth
Inclusive economic growth
Drivers of Change Governance and capacity development
Partnerships
Sector / Subsector

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Water-based natural resources management

Gender No gender elements
Description

The TA will address two key activities that are urgently required to enable Lao PDR adopt integrated water resources management (IWRM) namely: (i) the development of a National Water Resource Policy and Strategy; and (ii) the first phase of the preparation of a national water resources information inventory and assessment. In addition, the TA will assist the Government develop the design and framework document for a Lao IWRM Support Program including financing requirements.

The primary outcomes of the TA are (i) WREA will be strengthened and its staff capacities for IWRM will be strengthened; (ii) WREA will be able to guide future development and investment planning in the sector consistent with the national water resources policy and strategy; and (iii) development partners will commit to a program of support for WREA with the objective of moving towards a sector wide assistance program.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy The ADB and the World Bank have collaborated since 2004 on the preparation of the Mekong water resources assistance strategy (MWRAS). MWRAS was developed through analytical work and strategic workshops carried out in 2004 and early 2005 with the national governments of Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The MWRAS preparation work confirmed that there is a need for extensive capacity-building in all aspects of IWRM in the region to support the further investments required in water management.
Impact Integrated water resources management supports development and sustained economic growth in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
Project Outcome
Description of Outcome

Water Resources and Environment Administration provides effective leadership in the implementation of

National water resources policy and strategy.

Progress Toward Outcome

IWRM support program design has received broad support from Government and development partners and will form the basis for future support to water resources capacity development.

Broad policy directions are being established through consultations and studies.

Implementation Progress
Description of Project Outputs

Review of water data, information and analytical tools, including strategic needs assessment completed

National Water Resources Policy and Strategy is developed and adopted by the Government.

WREA support program is designed and adopted by development partner group.

Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

The draft National Water Resources Policy and National Water Resource Strategy and Action Plan have been prepared. Further refinements of these documents in Lao and English, based on comments received during a series of workshops with key stakeholders across the country. The Policy and Strategy was scheduled for submission to the National Assembly in November 2010.

The TA designed a draft national IWRM Support Program in August 2008. Development partners are processing assistance projects to make the support program operational.

A major change in TA scope was approved on 14 July 2009 to assist WREA in improving internal processess and staff capacities and ensure that it is fully prepared for implementation of the IWRM Support Program.

Geographical Location
Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects
Environmental Aspects
Involuntary Resettlement
Indigenous Peoples
Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation
During Project Design
During Project Implementation During implementation, consultation workshops will ensure that key stakeholders participate in achieving the expected outcomes of the TA. Workshops will be organized to debate key findings and to facilitate dissemination of policies and strategy documents. In addition, design of the Lao PDR IWRM support program will be done in consultation with major stakeholders.
Business Opportunities
Consulting Services A total of 31 person months (pm) of international and 53 pm of national specialists will be engaged by ADB in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants. Consulting services for component 1 will be engaged as independent consultants, including international IWRM specialist (1.5 pm); international program development specialist (1.5 pm) and national IWRM specialist (3.0 pm). Consultants for components 2 & 3 will be engaged through a firm (QCBS 90:10) and will include international consultants with expertise in IWRM/institutional specialist/team leader (18 pm), short term consultants with expertise in various aspects of IWRM (10 pm), and national consultants with skills in IWRM (50 pm).
Responsible ADB Officer Makin, Ian WIlliam
Responsible ADB Department Southeast Asia Department
Responsible ADB Division Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture Division, SERD
Executing Agencies
Water Resources &Environment Administration (WREA)
Phonechaleun Nonthaxay
[email protected]
Water Resources and Environment Administration, Vientiane
Water Resources &Environment Administration (WREA)
Office of the Prime Minister
Vientianee
Laos PDR
Timetable
Concept Clearance 11 Oct 2006
Fact Finding 08 Oct 2007 to 22 Oct 2007
MRM -
Approval 12 Dec 2007
Last Review Mission -
PDS Creation Date 11 Jan 2008
Last PDS Update 24 Feb 2011

TA 7013-LAO

Milestones
Approval Signing Date Effectivity Date Closing
Original Revised Actual
12 Dec 2007 10 Jan 2008 10 Jan 2008 31 Jan 2010 31 Dec 2010 16 Jun 2011
Financing Plan/TA Utilization Cumulative Disbursements
ADB Cofinancing Counterpart Total Date Amount
Gov Beneficiaries Project Sponsor Others
800,000.00 500,000.00 60,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,360,000.00 17 Jun 2022 1,206,969.98

ADB provides the information contained in this project data sheet (PDS) solely as a resource for its users without any form of assurance. Whilst ADB tries to provide high quality content, the information are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including without limitation warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. ADB specifically does not make any warranties or representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any such information.

Source URL: https://www.adb.org/projects/40193-012/main