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STUDY TOUR TO PSP CASES IN CAMBODIA, LAOS, VIETNAM


WSP/WB and SEAWUN organized a study tour to four selected water supply and sanitation cases with PSP in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia for delegates from these three countries from 19 to 25 April, 2009.
About the Study Tour
The Southeast Asian Water Utilities Network (SEAWUN) is assigned by the Water and Sanitation Program/World Bank (WSP/WB) to undertake the Study on Private Sector Participation in Water and Sanitation Sector. The overall objective of the proposed study is to explore and recommend ways in which the domestic private sector can assist in addressing the financing gap by improving the efficiency of sector investment, operational and other services with the aim of building demand and improving choice, quality and sustainability of WSS services in urban, small town and rural areas of Vietnam, thereby contributing significantly to the achievement of the MDGs/VDGs.
The scope of the study covers an assessment of capacity of the domestic and regional private sector through selected models, opportunities for private sector, economic, social and legal environment, enabling conditions as well as constraints that limit PSP in water and sanitation sector. In Vietnam, the SEAWUN team is doing field study in 16 cases where the private sector participates in provision of water and sanitation services both in rural and urban areas. The lessons learned and good practices would then be drawn out for replication in other areas of Vietnam and SAWAP countries.
To ensure the two-way interactions in learning-sharing-replication between Vietnam and SAWAP countries, WSP/WB and SEAWUN organized a study tour to four selected water supply and sanitation cases with PSP in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia for delegates from these three countries from 19 to 25 April, 2009.

Objectives

The objectives of the study tour are:

-         To resource inputs from SAWAP countries for the Study, to facilitate comparison PSP models in three countries as a basis for proposal on how to promote PSP in water and sanitation in an effective way;

-         To create opportunities for representatives from relevant ministries and agencies in WSS sector, the consultant team and private companies to learn from good practices of their colleagues in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

-         To promote joint activities in SAWAP program

Contents and activities

-         Assess some successful PSP models in water and sanitation in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia seen from technical, institutional, financial and social aspects through the site visit and interview with stakeholders of these models

-         Explore polices and legal environment related to PSP in three countries

-         Explore PSP project implementation

Four water supply cases in which the private involves were selected to visit, including:

-         A medium-sized water supply system with BOT model in Angkor Borey (Cambodia)

-         A water supply system in Takeo Province with BOT model (Cambodia)

-         Concession in water supply system in Nakang and Laokham, Meuang Feuang, Vientiane Province (Lao PDR)

-         DBL model in water supply system in Lim Town, Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province

The program was designed in a manner that in each country, the delegation would have opportunity to meet with the government agencies and the stakeholders of the selected models. The objectives of the meetings with the state management agencies in Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia were to understand the policies and mechanism of each country in mobilizing private sector participation in water and sanitation sector, how these policies and mechanism are brought into life, the current status of private sector participation in this field – prospects, challenges and lessons learned. The meetings were also aimed at getting the viewpoints and assessments of the government agencies on the selected models and discussing on how the inputs from each country would be mobilized within the framework of SAWAP. The meetings at and visits to the selected cases were in fact demonstration of the way the private sector can involve in water supply services provision and how they can make it. There were open discussions at the visited cases to allow sharing experiences and lessons learned among the participants.

Participants

There were 12 participants of the Study tour included: SEAWUN specialist, representatives from Ministries responsible for water sector in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and WSP/WB representatives.

Conclusion

The study tour was a success and has met all the set objectives. In one-week time, all the participants have got to know about the water sector of three countries and the level of PSP in this field. The visits to the PSP cases in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have served as demonstration of PSP in different operating environments created by respective countries, which have been very useful for the Study team in preparing the final report of the Study.

 

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