ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management (AWGWRM)
ASEAN has established the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management (AWGWRM) to enhance regional cooperation on freshwater management in the ASEAN region. The AWGWRM aims to:
- promote networking and engage in collaborative action towards the practical implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM);
- promote and facilitate the exchange of relevant information, expertise, technology and know-how among water resource agencies of member countries; and
- provide or make arrangements for relevant training, education and awareness-raising campaigns.
To achieve the above IWRM-related objectives the ASEAN Environment Ministers have endorsed in 2003 the development and implementation of an ASEAN Long Term Strategic Plan for Water Resources Management (ASPA-WRM). Subsequently, the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on Water Resources Management was developed and adopted in 2005 with the aim to promote the sustainability of water resources to ensure equitable accessibility and sufficient water quantity of acceptable quality.
The ASPA-WRM contains actions on four key issues – (i) water supply; demand and allocation; (ii) water quality and sanitation; (iii) climate change and extreme events; (iv)governance and capacity building. The four key issues have been translated into ten project concepts for implementation.
One of the ten project concepts: Project Concept 2 is the development of an ASEAN IWRM Country Strategy Guidelines, which is described in detail in this website.
Another project is the “”ASEAN Water Data Management and Reporting System”” which is described in detail at this weblink.
Click here to get the latest updates on Water Resources Cooperation in the ASEAN region and on the progress in the implementation of the ten ASPA-WRM Project concepts.