This current event is the third in the series of international IWRM training programmes supported by the Sida and co-organised by Ramboll Natura, the Swedish International Water Institute (SIWI) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). The two-week regional part of the training programme in 2007 is being jointly hosted by the Water Resources and Environment Administration (WREA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF).

The IWRM training programme brings together 28 water professionals from 14 countries in Asia, Africa and South America for two weeks in Lao PDR from 19-30 November. This is a follow-up to 3.5 weeks programme that the participants attended in Sweden in August 2007. The overall objective of the training programme is to strengthen capacity in IWRM implementation in the participants’ home countries through exposure to national and international experiences and sharing of knowledge including legislative measures, technology development and management tools. An important integral requirement of the training programme is for participants to have clearly formulated plans for how to apply the knowledge acquired during the programme in practice.

In Lao PDR the participants will have the opportunity to exchange experiences on water resources management and learn about the challenges and opportunities in the Greater Mekong Sub-region in general and Lao PDR in particular. In addition to presentations and discussions with Lao and international resource persons, the participants will spend four days in the field visiting the Nam Ngum River Basin.

During the field visit, the participants will be able to observe the ongoing activities in water resources and watershed management under the Nam Ngum River Basin Development Sector Project funded by ADB, AFD, JFPR and the Government of Lao PDR. In Xieng Khouang Province, the participants will meet with the Provincial Governor to discuss institutional arrangements for river basin management and visit various demonstration sites on land and water management. In Vang Vieng they will for example learn about the innovative public-private partnership approach to water supply, water usages and conflicts among them.

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