Phnom Penh: H. E. Mr. Kol Vathana, Deputy Secretary General of CNMC and the Chairman of the PNPCA JCWG for Cambodia, has leading the Working Groups from Cambodia PNPCA JCWG Members from MOWRAM, MAFF, MME, MPWT, and MoE; PNPCA WG Members; and the National Experts to attending the Special Session of the PNPCA JCWG on Prior Consultation Process (PC) for the submitted Sanakham Hydropower Project (SNHPP), which presided over and leaded by Mr. Phonepaseuth Phouliphanh, the Acting Secretary General of LNMC, alternate MRC JC Member for Lao PDR., and Acting Chairperson of the MRC JC for 2021 and Dr. An Pich Hatda, CEO of the MRC Secretariat. The Participants of the Session are the PNPCA JCWG and National Experts from the four MRC MCs (Cambodia, Lao PDR., Thailand, and Viet Nam) and the MRC Secretariat staff, including CEO, four division Directors, Chief River Basin Planner, Chief Strategy and Partnership Officer; Chief Environment Management Officer; and Relevant Specialists and Officers.

The main objectives of the Session are to discuss and agree on the newly proposed timeline (roadmap) and activities for the SNHPP PC Process towards its meaningful conclusion.

The Session had focused and discussed on three main agenda items, namely

Outcomes of the meetings between the MRC Secretariat and Lao concerned Ministries on 9 July 2021, on SNHPP PC Process;

Proposed rapid assessment on transboundary impacts caused by rapid water fluctuation to supplement the information provided in the Technical Review Report (TRR) for the proposed SNHPP; and

Newly proposed roadmap towards the meaningful conclusion of the SNHPP PC Process.

As a result, the Session had agreed on the “Proposed rapid assessment on transboundary impacts caused by rapid water fluctuation to supplement the information provided in the Technical Review Report (TRR) for the proposed SNHPP”. Because TNMC had raised two important points, namely (1) according to the report by the MRC Secretariat, there will be no change in border line, as already agreed by both parties, but according to the Thailand MoFA, the border line demarcation is still ongoing; and (2) the National Information Sharing on the proposed SNHPP in Thailand could be conducted only after the rapid assessment completed with acceptable outcome, then the Session decided to submit the “newly proposed roadmap towards the meaningful conclusion of the SNHPP PC Process” for discussion and decision by the upcoming 52nd MRC JC Meeting on 16 September 2021.