Mekong River Commission Secretariat

Denmark pledges US$535,000 for follow up
of organisational review of MRC Secretariat

Hanoi, Viet Nam
5 October 2007

H.E. Mr Peter Lysholt Hansen, Ambassador of Denmark to Viet Nam and
Officer in Charge of the MRC Secretariat, Mr Do Manh Hung after the
signing at the Danish Embassy in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark today signed an agreement worth 3 million Danish Kroner (approximately US$535,000) which will fund the follow up of the recommendations of an Independent Organisational, Financial and Institutional Review of the MRC Secretariat and the National Mekong Committees (NMCs), undertaken last year.

The new funding agreement was signed by H.E. Mr Peter Lysholt Hansen, Ambassador of Denmark to Viet Nam and Officer in Charge of the MRC Secretariat, Mr Do Manh Hung at the Danish Embassy in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

The funding provides for the relevant follow-up recommendations of the organisational review, including the support of capacity building for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at the MRC Secretariat and the NMCs. As well as strengthening the MRC management capacity, funds will be used to specify common guidelines, roles and responsibilities of the MRCS, NMCs and MRC; and to provide an in-depth analysis of long-term core function and staff policies of the MRCS.

The funding will also provide support to the working processes being carried out by various task forces working on implementing the recommendations the organisational review in the form of expert/consultancy assistance to carry out more in-depth analysis of some of recommendations as needed.

The Independent Organisational, Financial and Institutional Review of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat and the National Mekong Committees was funded by MRC development partners and implemented through a consultancy team comprising four international and four riparian expert team members. This review was presented to the MRC Council in December 2006 and its recommendations are now under discussion with the MRC Member States through the Joint Committee process.

At an International Conference on the Mekong River Commission on 23-24 April 2007 in Hanoi, The Member States and their development partners committed to provide stronger support to the MRC and to the NMCs to ensure that it has the necessary capacity to undertake the MRC mission and act as the key provider of knowledge, information and tools for the identification, technical support to and promotion of policies and investments in the Basin for sustainable development which are transboundary in nature or have transboundary implications.

 

For more information please contact:

Ms Virginia Addison, Communications Officer,
MRC Secretariat,
Tel: 856 21 263 263 Ext 4703.
Mobile: (856) 20 559 9139
Email: virginia@mrcmekong.org
Website: www.mrcmekong.org

 

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