Submission Deadline: Monday 9 May 2022, 5.00pm (AEST)

Activity Background

Vietnam’s Law on Water Resources is currently used as the basis for water governance in Vietnam, including with regards to the use of surface water, rainwater, groundwater and sea water. The Law (adopted in 1998 and revised in 2012) and other legal documents relating to the management and protection of water resources need to be amended to address national water resource security.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has the general management function of the Law, and promulgates legal regulations related to water resources, strategy and planning on water resources and pollution control. Within MONRE, DWRM has been given the responsibility to coordinate and implement the Law amendment process. This process is underway, with the first draft of the amended Law due to be submitted to the Government of Vietnam by the end of 2022.

DWRM has requested Australia’s support to the amendment process, through Australian experts sharing Australian and international best practice and providing inputs into policy areas to be researched for inclusion in the amended Law and its subsequent implementation.

Activity Description

This activity will see a team of Australian and local experts provide technical backstopping and support to DWRM on the amendment of the 2012 Law on Water Resources, as well as on the implementing decree which is being developed simultaneously by DWRM. The main tasks and key outputs are:

1. Develop a workplan outlining how the tasks will be completed, the proposed timeline for the delivery of outputs, and agreed roles and responsibilities of the Australian and local experts, DWRM, and any other parties.
2. Review (and if needed translate) documentation related to developing the amendment to the Law on Water Resources.
3. In response to requests from DWRM, provide information on Australian and international best practices on the development and implementation of legal frameworks for water resources management, and on lessons that can be used in the Vietnamese context.
4. Working with research groups (both internal and external to DWRM), provide inputs into reports on at least 2 policy areas specified in the Law on Water Resources.
5. Support the organisation of 2-3 stakeholder consultations led by DWRM at national, basin and local level to provide inputs on gathering feedback, identifying and analysing problems as well as priorities, challenges and opportunities around the current implementation of the Law and the planned amendments.
6. Undertake a capacity gap assessment to understand DWRM needs in strengthening their skills in the development and implementation of water resources policy and legislation.
7. Provide a capacity building program that can support DWRM in developing a more comprehensive Law.

Organise a study visit (or alternative option if travel is not possible) to Australia with a high-level delegation from MONRE and the Vietnamese National Assembly to exchange experiences with regulators, legislators and parliamentarians.

View full details and eligibility/selection criteria here.