The Mekong Water Dialogues is coordinated and facilitated by IUCN and supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. It was initiated to work with countries of the Mekong Region – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam – to improve water governance by facilitating transparent and inclusive decision-making to improve livelihood security, human and ecosystem heal.
The project is designed to develop a long term relationship between various stakeholder groups (government, civil society, research/academic and business) both within and between the countries, through case-study and dialogue processes. Activities will include dialogues between stakeholders on various issues and challenges in the governance and management of water and wetlands resources.
The studies and discussions will contribute to the development of an improved regional knowledge base, evidence-based policy making and support for other changes in governance arrangements that will lead to sustainable management of water and wetland resources, and ultimately to improving livelihoods and human and environmental health.
Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Mekong Water Dialogues was implemented in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam, and managed by IUCN Asia Regional Office (ARO), Bangkok, over a period of four and a quarter years (2010-2014).