Cambodia and Viet Nam Sign PRODOC with IUCN and FAO to Launch CMDA Project
On 23 November 2023, a signing ceremony was held to formalize the launch of the Cambodia–Mekong River Delta Aquifer (CMDA) project. The governments of Cambodia and Viet Nam joined IUCN, the project’s lead executing partner, and FAO, the implementing agency for the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in signing the Project Document (PRODOC), which officially commenced the project.
The CMDA project represents the first transboundary initiative focused on sustainable management of the shared aquifer system between Cambodia and Viet Nam. It seeks to strengthen cooperation, improve groundwater governance, and enhance water security for communities and ecosystems in the Lower Mekong Basin.
Through a collaborative framework, the project will deliver a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and Strategic Action Plan (SAP), alongside pilot activities to address groundwater depletion, saline intrusion, and ecosystem impacts. IUCN will lead execution in close partnership with national ministries, UNESCO, and MERFI, ensuring that both scientific research and community priorities guide the project’s implementation.
This milestone signing ceremony reflects the shared commitment of Cambodia and Viet Nam to safeguard vital groundwater resources, recognizing their central role in sustainable development and climate resilience for the Mekong Delta
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The Cambodia–Mekong River Delta Aquifer (CMDA) Project is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) International Waters initiative implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Lead Executing Agency, with UNESCO and MERFI as Executing Partners, in collaboration with the Governments of Viet Nam and Cambodia.