The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) and the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) will jointly host the Cambodia Water Governance Dialogue 2026 in Phnom Penh on Thursday to strengthen coordination among national and subnational institutions and address local water management priorities.
The one-day dialogue, under the theme “Strengthening Water Governance at the Subnational Level”, is expected to bring together around 200 representatives from national ministries, provincial and district administrations, technical departments, commune councils, River Basin Committees, Farmer Water User Communities and other community institutions.
Development partners, researchers, civil society organisations and private-sector representatives will also participate in the discussions.
Cambodia’s water resources support agriculture, fisheries, energy, domestic water supply, ecosystems and rural livelihoods. However, floods, droughts, changing river flows, ecosystem degradation, competing water uses and rising demand are placing increasing pressure on these resources, requiring stronger coordination across administrative and sectoral boundaries.
Secretary of State at MOWRAM An Pich Hatda said effective water governance required national policies, plans and investments that responded to the realities facing provinces and communities, supported by stronger institutional coordination.
“Cambodia needs clearer responsibilities, better use of evidence and stronger coordination among ministries and levels of government. This Dialogue will help identify practical actions that institutions can take together to manage water more sustainably and protect the people, livelihoods and ecosystems that depend on it,” he said.
The morning programme will feature keynote addresses on practical subnational water governance and social inclusion, followed by discussions on national water planning, industrial and hydropower development, river basin priorities, and ways to align government plans and development-partner investments with local needs.
Afternoon sessions will examine coordination between national and subnational institutions, drawing lessons from district-level water governance, irrigation management, private-sector engagement, water supply and community experiences.
The dialogue will also include an initial consultation on the proposed Cambodia Water Week, led by MOWRAM. The proposed national platform aims to promote policy exchange, public engagement, knowledge sharing and partnership development.
Participants will provide initial guidance on its objectives, added value, priority themes, participation and future development.
CDRI Executive Director Eng Netra said the dialogue would help connect research and policymaking with the practical experiences of national and subnational institutions, communities and other water-sector stakeholders.
“Good policy must be informed by evidence and by a sound understanding of how policy implementation works in practice. The Dialogue creates an important space for authorities, communities, researchers, development partners and the private sector to compare experiences, identify priorities and forge partnerships for effective policy implementation,” he said.
The 2026 dialogue builds on the first High-Level Policy Dialogue on Water Governance, convened by MOWRAM and CDRI last year, which highlighted the need for clearer institutional responsibilities, stronger coordination, improved access to data, greater technical capacity and more meaningful participation in water-related decision-making.
The upcoming event is also among the joint activities outlined in a memorandum of understanding signed between MOWRAM and CDRI in July 2026, covering research, knowledge exchange, capacity development and policy dialogue.
The dialogue is supported by the Australian Government through The Asia Foundation’s Ponlok Chomnes Programme (PCII), the Australia-Cambodia Partnership for Climate Resilience and Oxfam.
