Third IRBM Project RSC Meeting Convened in Bali, Indonesia

Participants of the Third Regional Steering Committee Meeting for the IRBM Project.

 

Kuta, Bali – The GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Project on Reducing Pollution and Preserving Environmental Flows in the East Asian Seas through the Implementation of Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) in ASEAN countries Project Regional Steering Committee (RSC) comprising the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management (AWGWRM), the ASEAN Secretariat, East Asian Seas Executive Committee and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) met in Bali, Indonesia on 4 June 2025 for the Third RSC Meeting, which was held back-to-back with the 25th Annual Meeting of the AWGWRM.

 

Prior to the meeting, a Regional Orientation Workshop on the Rapid Evaluation of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (REWEFe) Nexus Toolkit was organized, leveraging the presence of the RSC members. PEMSEA Resource Facility and the Ministry of Environment Indonesia served as Secretariat to the RSC Meeting, which was held in hybrid format.

 

Hosted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment, the Third RSC Meeting brought together representatives from the AWGWRM National Focal Agencies of Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam; National Implementing Partners of the IRBM Project; local governments from the seven priority river basins and university partners.

In his welcome remarks, Dr. Rasio Ridho Sani, Deputy Minister of Pollution and Environmental Degradation Control at the Ministry of Environment, affirmed Indonesia's commitment: 

"Through this forum, Indonesia commits to continue our active contribution to policy development, knowledge sharing, and the development of technology and best practice in river basin management."

Dr. Rasio Ridho Sani, Deputy Minister of Pollution and Environmental Degradation Control at the Ministry of Environment of Indonesia delivered the welcome remarks on behalf of the host country.

 

 

Reviewing Progress and Addressing Challenges

 

The IRBM Project is considered to be at a critical juncture after completing its Mid-term Review (MTR). Dr. Oudomsack Philavong, Chair of both the AWGWRM and RSC, mentioned: 

“The project is in its third year of implementation. We should carefully reflect how we can further support the countries that are lagging behind, as well as sustain the momentum of countries that are progressing well.” 

Dr. Oudomsack Philavong, Chair of the AWGWRM chaired the Third RSC Meeting with UNDP.

During the half-day meeting, the RSC reviewed the decisions and recommendations, including actions taken from the 2024 RSC Meeting; discussed the implementation progress across the six participating ASEAN Member States (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, and Viet Nam) and at the regional level; sought concurrence on the management response that outlined proposed actions and responsibilities to address the MTR recommendations and requested the approval of the reprofiled 2025 and 2026 annual workplan and budget.

 

Mr. Gerd Trogemann, Manager of the Global Policy Network and Regional Programme for UNDP Asia and the Pacific, opined that: 

"It is very encouraging to see that the Mid-term Review confirms meaningful progress of the IRBM Project at regional and subnational levels, particularly in the development of key tools such as the State of the River Basin reporting system and the solution templates for pilot project design."

 

He also highlighted areas requiring expedited action, specifically delays in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Viet Nam, due to the late or pending signature of the memoranda of agreement.

 

Mr. Gerd Trogemann, Manager of Global Policy Network and Regional Programme for UNDP Asia and the Pacific co-chaired the RSC Meeting.

 

 

Project Impact and Future Directions

 

The MTR rated the overall progress of the project as moderately satisfactory with its Theory of Change well-aligned with the project goals. Seven out of nine indicators in the Project Results Framework are on track indicating good progress, with specific areas identified for accelerated improvement.

 

Mr. Vorng Say, Deputy Director of the Department of Water Quality Management, Ministry of Environment, presented project implementation updates for Kampong Bay River Basin in Cambodia.

 

Mr. Firdaus Alim Damopolii, Director of the Directorate of Water Quality Protection and Management, Ministry of Environment, shared the efforts of the national and local governments that contribute to the management of Ciliwung River in Indonesia.

 

Mr. Thanongxay Douangnoulak, Director of the Division of Water Resources Assessment, Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment presented implementation updates for Nam Tha River Basin in Lao, PDR.

 

Mr. Roslan bin Sukimin, Deputy Director of the Division of Water Resources Management and Hydrology, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, highlighted coordination updates on the memorandum of agreement for project implementation along the Kedah River in Malaysia.

 

Atty. Ricky Arzadon, Executive Director of the National Water Resources Board, presented implementation updates for the Pasac Guagua Watershed and Imus-Ylang Ylang-Rio Grande Rivers in the Philippines.

 

Ms. Tran Thi Le Anh, Deputy Head of Environment Quality Management Division, Viet Nam Environment Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment highlighted the project launch on 18 April 2024 and planned activities for 2025 for Vu Gia Thu Bon River in Viet Nam.

 

The RSC meeting concluded with a reaffirmed commitment to regional cooperation and timely delivery of project outcomes, especially in view of the remaining timeframe of the project until 2027.

 

The RSC Meeting was convened in conjunction with the 25th Annual Meeting of AWGWRM, which serves as the key regional platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange among ASEAN Member States and partners. During this forum, agreements and next steps from the RSC Meeting were also presented, including the IRBM Project’s initiatives supporting the AWGWRM Action Plan on Improving Water Quality and Sanitation. This collaborative approach highlights the project’s commitment to strengthening transboundary water management and contributing to reducing pollution and sustaining freshwater environmental flows in the region.  

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About the Project   Supported by the Global Environment Facility, the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project aims to set-up functional management mechanisms in priority river basins of six ASEAN countries to reduce pollution and sustain freshwater environmental flows as well as adapt to climate change vulnerabilities. The Project is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, and executed by Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of Seas Asia, in collaboration with ASEAN.   Footnotes:   All photos by Orange Omengan/PEMSEA