MK20Space for Dialogue

• Mk flows throw 6 countries. It is 43,000 km long

• It has rich natural resources and ecosystem– # species of fish– # species of reptile

• Over 90 m people depend on it– Water for domestic consumption– Navigation– Irrigation – Its fish, eco-services, NTFP

• Mk also has huge potential for hydropower with potential of ## MW.– Governments see it as source of cheap and clean

energy– Surge to build dams. ## have been built.WLE\Dams-Mekong-Basin.pdf

Sesan 2\3S_dams_2012.jpg

– In Cambodia, # dams have been built.

• There has been strong resistance from national and international NGOs, and locals– Dams impacts on social relation– economic– Environment

• This leads to tension/conflict between development and conservation and the small local people are caught in between.

Often, One side accuses the other– gov see

NGO as anti-devlocal as needing modernization

– NGO see Gov as destroying environmentdisrupting local lives and ecosystem

– Locals suffer

• There is often call for good gov of MK.

• But what is good gov of Mk?– International standard ?– Does anyone ever care what it mean for

Cambodia?– What do Cambodians think good gov of MK is?– Is government the only legitimate decision maker?

• This project has three aims– Local df of good gov of MKS– Build capacity for deliberation– Promote engagement and negotiation

– Local df of good gov of MKS• Meet with actors in key sectors

– Hydropower companies– Ministries: water resources, industry, energy, planning,

finance– Rice, fishery, development – Conservation NGO

• Meet with actors at different level– National planners– Provincial authorities– Local authorities, local communities

To understand how gov is defined from their perspective.

– Build capacity for deliberation• Share knowledge on different perspectives, interests• Training on negotiation skills

– Leadership– Communication– negotiation

• Promote engagement and negotiation• Face to face meetings• Facilitate stakeholder meeting• conference

• The project main activities– Research• Notion of good governance• Discourse and reality of gender in MK gov• Mapping MK gov: reconciling interest, institution and

conflict• Eco-system service in policy and practice• The challenge of MSP

– Capacity building• Community training on negotiation• Women network and training• Support one MA student, looking at process and

challenges of community participation in Cambodia

– Dissemination and knowledge sharing• Work with key players in MK gov• Bridge differences in perspective • Facilitate constructive dialogue

• Project – Funded by WLE– Implemented by• CDRI• NUS• NGO Forum• Uni Gothenburg

– Duration 3 years• Start Jan 2015• End Dec 2017

Thank you