On February 12, Dr. Kongkham Moboun, Director of Center for Water Supply and Environmental Health (CWSEH) led a delegation to visit IWHR for technological exchanges and cooperation on rural water supply.

Dr. Ding Liuqian, Vice President of IWHR, received the delegation, together with chiefs and experts from relevant departments at IWHR.

Dr. Ding Liuqian extended his warm welcome to the Lao delegation. He applauded the deep-rooted friendship between China and Laos, and reviewed fruitful results achieved under the in-depth cooperation between Lao water sector and IWHR in terms of irrigation development, water resources management, automatic monitoring and control of hydropower stations, and impoundment safety authentication.

Dr. Ding appreciated CWSEH for its strong support in the IWHR-led project of Demonstration of Rural Water Supply Safety Technology in Lancang-Mekong Countries under Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund. He expressed IWHR’s expectation to strengthen exchanges for each other’s needs and deepen pragmatic cooperation with CWSEH.

Dr. Kongkham Moboun thanked the IWHR for its warm reception. He briefed upon the basic information about the CWSEH, stressing the status quo and challenges faced by rural water supply in Laos. He expressed sincere appreciation to IWHR’s contributions in enhancing access to safe water supply and hygienic sanitation across the rural areas in Laos, and expected IWHR to continuously harness its technical and expert strengths in assisting Laos to advance its development, construction, operation and management of rural water supply and jointly beef up the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

A Rural Water Supply Symposium was organized following up the reception. Experts from both sides delivered reports on China’s developments and progress in rural water supply, implementation and achievements of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund project "Research and Demonstration of Rural Water Supply Safety Technology in southern part of Lao PDR", Chinese experiences and case studies on sustainable operation and management of rural water supply and WASH & NTD programs in Laos.

The two sides conducted in-depth discussions on the operation and maintenance of rural water supply projects, water quality monitoring and risk management of water pollution.

During their stay in China, the delegation also planned field visits to the rural water supply projects in Beijing and Zhejiang Province.