OiEau at the heart of strengthening IWRM in Cambodia

Selected in 2012 as a national pilot basin, Stung Sen benefited from support structured around three fundamental pillars of IWRM:

• training and capacity building
• basin planning and governance
• knowledge production, sharing, and ownership.

With the support of OiEau, the project led to the creation of a basin committee, supported by a technical secretariat and thematic working groups, promoting participatory governance involving national and provincial authorities and local stakeholders. The work carried out has led to a better characterization of the basin, the identification of resource-related issues, and the development of an operational action plan.

The first cycle of the project (2016-2021) concluded with a comprehensive evaluation, the establishment of a dashboard and a summary report, and the production of methodological guides, which are now being used to support the rollout of IWRM at the national level.

The Stung Sen basin is undergoing rapid changes in land use, land occupation, and territorial development, against a backdrop of increasing national and international initiatives related to drinking water, irrigation, and environmental protection.

Thanks to renewed support from the Rhine-Meuse and Loire-Brittany Water Agencies, this second phase aims to consolidate achievements, strengthen institutional capacities, and promote the tools developed over more than a decade to respond to these new challenges.

The first week of the study visit took place in the Rhine-Meuse basin, mainly in Metz and Strasbourg, and was organized to coincide with the visit of a Cambodian delegation involved in a decentralized cooperation project coordinated by Gescod, focusing on the construction of drinking water stations in the Stung Sen basin and their management through the Stung Sen Drinking Water Association. This joint organization provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen consistency between institutional and operational approaches by bringing together the various administrative and technical levels involved.

Discussions were particularly fruitful during the meeting with the Meurthe-Madon Public Territorial Basin Authority, which presented its role in coordinated water management across its territory, as well as the governance and financing mechanisms that ensure the sustainability of its actions. The delegation also visited several iconic structures illustrating concrete solutions for river and flood management, such as the removal of weirs, the construction of dykes and flood channels, and the creation of dynamic flood retardation areas. These visits provided a very practical insight into the links between land use planning, risk prevention, and the restoration of aquatic environments.

The participation of the Cambodian delegation in the Rhine-Meuse Basin Committee was a highlight of this first week. It was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Tonle Sap Authority, the Rhine-Meuse and Loire-Brittany Water Agencies, and the partner basin committees, formalizing their shared desire to continue and deepen their long-standing cooperation. This institutional sequence was complemented by a meeting with French international solidarity actors working or wishing to work in Cambodia, promoting the sharing of experiences and the coordination of initiatives. Finally, the meeting with the Alsace-Moselle Water and Sanitation Union, including a visit to its headquarters and maintenance facilities, provided an illustration of the organization of a large-scale public water service, as well as the challenges associated with the pooling of technical and financial resources.

The second week of the study visit, involving only the Cambodian institutional delegation, took place in the Loire-Bretagne basin, in Clermont-Ferrand and then in Orleans. It provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on flood prevention policies and flood management and forecasting tools, in a context where these issues are becoming increasingly important for both France and Cambodia.

In Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont Auvergne Métropole services presented the Flood Prevention Action Program (PAPI) implemented at the metropolitan level, detailing how it ties in with land use planning and infrastructure management policies, particularly sanitation. The delegation was thus able to appreciate the importance of long-term planning and coordination between services in reducing the vulnerability of territories to extreme events. The visit to the Clermont-Ferrand wastewater treatment plant, as well as several river renaturation sites, highlighted the concrete benefits of an integrated approach that combines flood protection, improvement of the living environment, and restoration of aquatic environments.

Participation in the Loire-Bretagne basin committee was another key moment during this second week, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between French and Cambodian partners, confirming the continuity of cooperation. Finally, the visit to the DREAL and Vigicrues services provided the delegation with in-depth insight into French flood monitoring, forecasting, and warning systems, as well as the structural role of major hydraulic structures such as the Naussac and Villerest dams. These exchanges provided perspective on the technical, organizational, and institutional challenges associated with anticipating hydrological risks and protecting populations.

This approach is fully in line with OiEau's DNA: transferring knowledge, networking stakeholders, and supporting the adaptation of management models to local contexts.