30 July - 5 August 2012 - orsam

The ―Water Resources in South Asia: Conflicts to Cooperation‖ conference, to be held on January 4-
5, will address trans-boundary water management in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, China, and Nepal
along the basins of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers, the organizers said.
The river basins are divided by political boundaries, but their water and sediment could be managed
by using a multilateral basin-wide approach that protects the interests of all riparian countries.
The dominant approach in managing these resources has been unilateral, with each country trying to
manage and utilize the water resources and ecosystems within its own boundary without adequate
coordination with other co-riparian countries.
―This approach is not proving conducive to optimal utilization of the resources. Instead, it is often
leading to conflicts,‖ Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon Secretary General Mohammad Abdul Matin told
reporters on July 21.
Asked about successful basin-wide approaches worldwide, he said there were good examples of such
cooperation in Asia, Africa, Europe and some other parts of the world.
The Nile Basin Initiative, the Mekong River Commission, the Amazon Cooperation Treaty and the
Danube Commission are the most successful examples of multilateral cooperation on water
management in common rivers, the conference organizers said.
―India, Bangladesh to Meet on Tipaimukh Dam in August‖, 30/07/2012, online at: http://www.ooskanews.com/dailywater-briefing/india-bangladesh-meet-tipaimukh-dam-august_23615
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