The MRC Secretariat (MRCS) organized a brainstorming meeting on February 6, 2007, in Vientiane, Lao PDR, for programme staff to contribute to an MRC approach for addressing transboundary differences and disputes. Led by the International Cooperation and Communication Section (ICCS), the meeting objectives were to: (1) identify the upcoming needs relating to conflict management, (2) define MRCS’s role in addressing differences and disputes; and (3) brainstorm possible implementation strategies and approaches for addressing differences and disputes. ECO-Asia worked with MRCS to facilitate the program.
Forty-two participants from the MRCS attended the meeting, and resource persons from the MRC Flood Management and Mitigation Programme, Oregon State University, and ECO-Asia also attended the meeting to share ideas and information with MRCS staff and to support discussion.
Meeting activities included technical presentations by MRC programmes highlighting current and potential transboundary conflicts, and current MRC activities to address conflict. Through small group discussions, participants identified the potential role of the MRCS in conflict management and prevention.
|
