Australia, Laos Partner on River Basin Management
Australia and Laos have been cooperating on water resources management for nearly two decades. Key milestones in recent years include the Sekong Groundwater Management Plan approved earlier this year, the revision of the Water Law endorsed by National Assembly in 2017, the development of key decrees and regulations as well as strategies and management plans for key priority basins of Laos.
A recent achievement of this partnership is the development of the Nam Xam Integrated River Basin Management Plan, endorsed by the Deputy Governor of Houaphanh Province, Mr. Phonesouk Inthavong, and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Chanthaneth Boualapha.
The Nam Xam Basin is located in north-eastern Laos within Houaphanh Province and is home to almost 200,000 people. It is an important basin that provides fresh water, ecosystem services, and fisheries and supports irrigated agriculture, contributing to people’s incomes and livelihoods. Like many other rivers, the basin is facing increased challenges due to land use change, and increased use of water by different sectors, coupled with climate change. As climate change imposes an increased threat of flooding and droughts across the region, the impacts will be widely felt.
Phontham Visapra
