SBR- Content.pmd - INBO

11 - Trade and transportTable 2:Five-year capital and operating expenditure allocations by governmentsCountry Inland waterways Roads Total (two modes)5-yearexpenditure(US$ million)Share(%)5-yearexpenditure(US$ million)Share(%)5-yearexpenditure(US$ million)Share(%)CambodiaLao PDRViet Nam0.4110.31433.2331.20.31.334.024121.4252,584.33398.899.798.734.435121.7392,617.566100.0100.0100.0Notes: Cambodia data are for the five-year period 1997-2001; Lao PDR data are for the five-year period1996-2000 (fiscal years commencing 01 October); and Viet Nam data are for the five-year period,1995-1999, but purport to include only capital expenditures.Sources: National Statistical Yearbook, Viet Nam, 2000; MRC missions to LMB member countries, April-May 2002Data for Thailand were not included in this table, because it is understood that the section of theMekong River for which Thailand has responsibility, attracts only a small share of nationalexpenditure on inland waterway development and maintenance. Therefore, the inclusion of nationaldata is unlikely to be representative of expenditure allocations at the LMB level.Nevertheless, it might be reasonable to conclude that the Mekong River in Thailand attracts a shareof expenditures that is significantly less than 1 percent of the total amount expended on roads andinland waterways combined. It is important to note that if it were possible to include in Table 2expenditures allocated to other modes, such as railways and air transport, the inland waterwayexpenditure shares would be even lower than indicated in the table.Data indicate that not only are expenditure allocations disproportionate to the economic “worth” ofIWT, but also that they are disproportionate to IWT’s share in the national transport figures of allLMB member countries (Table 2). For example, the river and its associated waterways are estimatedto carry 73 percent of all cargo tonnage in the Mekong Delta Region of Viet Nam, 45 percent of allcargo tonnage between Thailand and Lao PDR, 31 percent of all cargo tonnage within Lao PDR and17 percent of all cargo tonnage within Cambodia.Unless LMB governments commit a higher level of funding for essential river works, especiallyfor dredging of some dangerous spots, bank protection, port improvement, installation of aidsto navigation, and establishing navigation training, it will be difficult for the IWT sector tomaintain its significant role in cargo transport. Similarly, a more realistic funding approach,which in reality requires nothing more than a re-ordering of mode funding priorities, will benecessary for the IWT sector to establish a significant role in passenger transport (especially intourist transport).235