NARBO
NARBO's Participation in the Regional Water Knowledge Hub Meeting
The 2nd Meeting of the “Asia -Pacific Water Forum’s Network of Regional Water Knowledge Hub (RWKH)” was held on 2-4 April at Singapore PUB WaterHub. RWKH is the new approach that emphasizes knowledge partnerships and networking composed of advanced expertise and existing centers of excellence in the region to offer their services to clients and partners in the Asia-Pacific Region. Also, its establishment was co-led by Singapore PUB, ADB and UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, and announced in the First Asia Pacific Water Forum held on 3-4 December 2007 in Beppu, Japan. Also, the 3rd NARBO General Meeting accepted that it would facilitate and support RWKH.
The meeting was attended by 16 knowledge hub candidates in the Asia-Pacific including some NARBO member organizations. The followings are the NARBO member organizations which attended the meeting.
| Organization | Topic |
Ministry of Public Works (MPW) of Indonesia, and Japan Water Agency (JWA) |
River basin organization and management |
National Hydraulic Research Institute, Malaysia |
Climate change adaptation |
K-Water (Korea) |
Water quality management in river basins |
International Water Management Institute (Sri Lanka) |
Irrigation service reform |
International Research and Training Centre on Erosion and Sedimentation (PRC) |
Erosion and sedimentation in river basins |
International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (Japan) |
Disaster risk reduction and flood management |
Each knowledge hub candidate gave a presentation on the Business/Development Plan, which includes (ⅰ) Focus of the RWKH, Vision, Mission and Objectives, (ⅱ) Hub Network Plan such as clients, partnership, products & services, and capacity building, (ⅲ) Water Hub Governance such as organization, cost recovery strategy and quality assurance, and (ⅳ) Activities for 2008-2009.
As mentioned above, the Ministry of Public Works (MPW), Indonesia, has been nominated as the knowledge hub for River Basin Organization and Management, whose activities are to be conducted in collaboration with Japan Water Agency (JWA) and NARBO. Dr. Mochammad Amron, the First Advisor to the Minister of Public Works of Indonesia/ NARBO Chairperson, attended the meeting as the representative of MPW and gave the presentation. Dr. Takeyoshi Sadahiro, Professor, JWA, also attended the meeting and expressed that JWA is willing to cooperate with the activity of the knowledge hub for River Basin Organization and Management.
Meanwhile, the expected JWA's collaborative activity is to assist the establishment and strengthening of the Dissemination Unit for Water Resources Management and Technology (DUWRMT) which aims to develop capacity of the Indonesian RBOs.
Hereafter, each knowledge hub candidate will complete its business plan; and after that, the action plan of the RWKH will be announced.
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Presentation by Ministry of Public Works, Indonesia |
Statement by Dr. Sadahiro, Japan Water Agency |
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Comment by Mr. Tjoek, PJT I |
Presentation by Mr. Ban Thong, Singapore PUB |
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Group Discussion |
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