(KPL) The Mekong River Commission is organizing a regional stakeholder forum for the proposed Pak Lay hydropower project and key hydropower-related topics and calling for an open and inclusive participation from stakeholders from communities, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector.
The two-day forum, slated for 20-21 September 2018 in Vientiane, is on the theme ‘2018 Priorities: Basin Planning and Environmental Management’. It aims to share information on the Pak Lay project, discuss the MRC’s prior consultation process, and inform stakeholders on the status of several on-going works of the Commission.
“The forum will provide a conducive platform for our concerned stakeholders to voice their legitimate concerns and suggestions on the Pak Lay project and other outstanding works. It’s a unique opportunity to have all the concerns aired, recorded and shared with the MRC’s member countries, especially the proposing country, and to find ways to address them” MRC CEO Pham Tuan Phan said.
“I highly encourage everyone to take part in this because each of us has a collective responsibility to steer the future of the sustainable development of the world’s greatest river and to care for its health and the safety and livelihoods of our people. In many river basins and countries, transparent and democratic processes are lacking, and legitimate concerns are not aired officially. Given the unique opportunity provided by the prior consultation process, no one should sit out.”
The first day of the forum will be dedicated to information sharing and consultation on the Pak Lay project and its prior consultation process under the MRC’s Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA).
The second day will be for the work-in progress of the MRC that highly involves stakeholders’ interest. Included in the session are updates and discussions on a joint action plan for the Pak Beng hydropower project, joint environmental monitoring of mainstream hydropower projects, Xayaburi design changes review, update of the preliminary design guidance for proposed mainstream dams in the lower Mekong basin, among others.
Stakeholders will be invited to provide feedback, make suggestions and hear these updates. Their views will be recorded and included in a regional information sharing report to be shared with the public and considered by the MRC’s Joint Committee (JC), a body consisting of four member countries’ representatives where the consultation takes place.
Based on past experience, stakeholders’ concerns have added valuable input to and emphasis on improving both the prior consultation process and its extended impact. For example, the need to focus on transboundary socio-economic issues and mitigation measures to improve fish pass and sediment transport and to monitor impacts in the post-construction stage were taken up and considered highly.
KPL