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Technical support in developing water legislation in Lao PDR

 

Research Focus:

International WaterCentre and Griffith University researchers are currently working on a project to support improvement of water governance and management in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).

Research Partners:

  • Australian Rivers Institute at Griffith University
  • Griffith Asia Institute
  • Griffith Law Futures Centre
  • International Business Development Unit at Griffith University,
  • The National University of Laos
Status:

Completed

Project Location:

Lao PDR

Client:

Australian Water Partnership

Project Category:

Applied Research

An inception workshop brought together partners in this unique project, which will see multiple Griffith University experts working alongside the National University of Laos, Lao’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), as well as representatives from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Water Partnership.

Griffith experts assisted their partners in Lao PDR in developing ministerial agreements covering two areas: water quality management and water protection zones. This work provided technical support to the Lao Government will help to improve the implementation of Lao PDR’s Water and Water Resources Law and strengthen the achievement of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 [Clean Water and Sanitation.

The two ministerial agreements will help water resource management and ultimately contribute to achieving the SDGs in Lao PDR, most notably targets 6.3 (improving water quality) and 6.6 (protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems).

This project is a unique collaborative effort from multiple centres and institutes within Griffith. Dr Haefner will be joined by Griffith technical experts Professor Fran Sheldon and Professor David Hamilton, from the Australian Rivers Institute, and Dr Jacqui Robertson from the Law Futures Centre, as well as Dr Lachlan Guthrie from the International Water Centre and support from the International Business Development Unit. Drawing on these different institutes, Griffith has shown its commitment to collaborative, cross-disciplinary work to help achieve the SDGs and contribute to impact through policy implementation.

 

Acknowledgment

This project has been funded by the Australian Government through the Australian Water Partnership and implemented by Griffith University.

The views expressed in publications associations with this project are the author’s alone and are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government. The Australian Government neither endorses the views, nor vouches for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained. The Australian Government, its officers, employees, and agents, accept no liability for any loss, damage or expense arising out of, or in connection with, any reliance on any omissions or inaccuracies in the material contained in publications associations with this project.