Regional: Greater Mekong Subregion Flood and Drought Risk Management and Mitigation Project (LAO/VIE)

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Agricultural drainage - Irrigation - Rural flood protection - Water-based natural resources management

The Mekong River stretches through the People's Republic of China, Myanmar, the Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam with a total land area of 795,000 square kilometers (km2). The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) is home to about 60 million people in Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The Mekong River stands apart because of the large fluctuations in seasonal discharge - very low flows in the dry season yet extensive flooding in the wet season. River flow is largely unaffected by water control structures and follows the seasonal hydrological cycle.

Countries in the LMB have varying levels of capacity to prepare for and manage flood- and drought-related disasters. Actions are mostly reactive, rather than proactive, and are uncoordinated. Better flood and drought disaster preparedness requires (i) knowledge availability and sharing of potential changes to the spatial and temporal distribution of climate and hydrological variables over the basin as a whole; (ii) capacity for timely flood and drought forecasting and dissemination of warnings to communities at risk; (iii) engagement of at-risk communities in the identification, analysis, treatment, monitoring, and evaluation of disaster risks in order to reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their coping capacities; and (iv) improved condition of water control infrastructure.

The Project is aligned with the relevant policies, strategies, and programs such as the following: (i) Lao PDR: Disaster Management Action Frameworks, 20032020; and the (ii) Viet Nam: National Strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention, Response and Mitigation approved by the Prime Minister in 2007 (Decision No. 172/2007), National Targeted Program to Respond to Climate Change, Strategic Direction of Water Resources Development (to 2020 and toward 2050), the Mekong Delta Master Plan.

The Project is aligned with ADB''s Water Operational Plan, 2011-2020, which identifies flood and drought mitigation (as part of disaster risk management) as one of the two urgent challenges to be addressed in the integrated water resource management process. The Project is also aligned with the ADB's Disaster and Emergency Assistance Policy (2004) as it will support the governments and local communities to identify and manage risks from natural hazards.

Reduced economic losses resulting from flood and drought

Improved capacity and preparedness to manage and mitigate the impacts of flood and drought events

Enhanced regional data, information, and knowledge base for the management of floods and droughts

Upgraded water management infrastructure

Enhanced capacity for CBDRM

Effective project implementation

As of June 2019, the progress of the output achieved 92.8%. The progress includes: to have access to information on water levels, discharges and climatologic data in 'nearly real time as part of the Early Warning Center, and Build technical capability of DMH on forecasting of floods, droughts, extreme weather events and on seasonal climate prediction at basin and national levels

IDRM Fund grant agreement was signed on 20 July 2017. Consultant recruitment completed and mobilization starts. The assignment was physically completed on 31 December 2018. All payments to the consultant were completed in Feb 2019. Financial closure was in October 2019.

IDRM Fund grant agreement was signed on 20 July 2017. Consultant recruitment completed and mobilization starts. The assignment was physically completed on 31 December 2018. All payments to the consultant were completed in Feb 2019. Financial closure was in October 2019.

This is being ensured during the procurement process.

Not yet due.

The bidding documents for civil works include provision to require contractors to prioritize recruiting female unskilled local laborers among local workers. ADB noted during field visits that the poor and female community people in the project areas are employed.

O&M Plans prepared and updated upon each subproject completion.

IDRM Fund grant agreement was signed on 20 July 2017. Consultant recruitment completed and mobilization starts. The assignment was physically completed on 31 December 2018. All payments to the consultant were completed in Feb 2019. Financial closure was in October, 2019.

Target of at least 1,500 women is reduced to 500 women due to cancellation of DFAT grant and size of IDRM fund grant.

Project is extended for 12 months

Contract awards for four ICB civil works packages and three NCB packages have been awarded as scheduled.

Viet Nam: Project closed in Sept 2019

Viet Nam: The gender action plan implementation is mostly on track. However, the implementation of GAP under output 1 and output 2 is delayed due to cancellation of DFAT grant and signing of IDRM fund grant.

The consultants to support CBDRM mobilized in November 2015. CBDRM community groups have been established in 18 villages. The Midterm Review Mission, scheduled in November 2016, will further review findings of number of target communes under the project. The progress as of December 2018 was 100%.

All works completed.

All works completed.

All works completed.

The consultants to support CBDRM mobilized in November 2015. CBDRM community groups have been established in 18 villages. The Midterm Review Mission, scheduled in November 2016, will further review findings of number of target communes under the project. The progress as of December 2018 was 100%.

The package for the Rehabilitation of Vientiane Flood Protection Embankment 32.2km) was awarded on 7 April 2016 and the contractors mobilized in May 2016.

as of June 2019, the progress for VTE Embankment and Irrigation subproject is achieved 98.4%

All identified adverse impacts resulting from the location, design, construction, and operation of the water management infrastructure are expected to be small to moderate and can be mitigated by adoption of specific measures. Special environment-related assurances are prepared to mitigate any project impact on adjacent wetlands.

For Lao, the initial environment examination reports of the subprojects have been updated and cleared by ADB. For VIE project environment management plans (EMPs) of the subprojects are approved and included in the civil works contracts to implement the mitigation measures.

For Viet nam, Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) of all four civil works packages were approved. Independent/external monitoring reports were submitted. Strict monitoring of its implementation by the PIC and supervision consultants is advised. An EMP time-bound action plan was prepared in April 2017 and its implementation is on track.

Resettlement plans (RP), prepared during PPTA, were endorsed by the government and disclosed on the ADB's website. The RPs have been updated for each civil works package after completing detailed engineering designs.

For the LAO project, the updated resettlement plans for the two subprojects have been cleared by ADB.

For the Viet Nam, resettlement plans (RPs) for 2 awarded packages 2.6 and 2.8 were approved by ADB and are being implemented. RPs of packages 2.7 and 2.9 are being implemented. RP of package 2.9 has been split in three sub-RPs because it includes 3 separate canals. Two of the three have been approved and being implemented. The remaining requires updates due to change in scope of work. EA delays in submitting internal (resettlement) monitoring report for 2017.

Consultation and participatory design of interventions is in process. Consultations are ongoing with the farmers and affected people during the implementation of the resettlement plan.

For Lao, a series of meetings with district governors, PIOs, NPCO were held for the development of the CBDRM workplan. CBDRM community groups have been established and 40 group facilitators have been selected. Training for the CBDRM community groups is ongoing.

- The consultants have been recruited according to ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants. The Project requires a number of consulting services to assist the executing agencies and implementing agencies with: (i) project implementation support; (ii) preparation of subprojects; (iii) strengthening of the NEWC; (iv) external safeguard monitoring; (v) implementation of CBDRM; and (vi) audit of project accounts. The outputs and deliverables from all consulting services shall be in accordance with the Government policies, and in support of the provincial development strategies and the needs of the beneficiaries.

- All planned consulting services recruitment was concluded.

- During the extended period, there will be 1 NCB package for supply and installation of pumps ($0.312million) left and to be completed by 31 May 2021 and 2 resources persons to be engaged to assist EA undertaking agreed action planed set during ADB virtual mission in December 2020.

- All procurement of goods and works are being undertaken in accordance with ADB's Procurement Guidelines (2010), as amended from time to time.

- Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the project closing date was extended for the 2nd time to 30 September 2021 to allow sufficient time to complete some remaining procurement activities of the project.