K-water Report : Water, Nature and Humankind

K-water Report
K-water strives to address global water issues
via international cooperation
The world is facing water-related challenges including floods, droughts, water pollution, and declining crop production.
Individual countries alone cannot solve these problems, and this is why cross-border cooperation is important.
Working closely together with other countries and international organizations to cope with water issues,
K-water is actively involved in international cooperation to ensure sustainable Earth and create a society
where everyone has access to clean, safe water.
Text by Choi Haeng-jwa Source K-water

International Cooperation

“International cooperation means cooperation in various forms between countries, government organizations, NGOs or private corporations, involving capital at cost or no cost, exchanges, technology, human resources, society or culture.”

K-water takes the lead in resolving global water issues

K-water is actively involved in cross-border exchanges in order to work out water issues. Since it founded the Asia Water Council(AWC) in 2016, K-water has been playing an active role in addressing global water issues.
The Korea-led AWC has 151 member organizations from 24 countries, and it has grown into a leading water-related cross-border cooperation platform in Asia. It is currently carrying out ‘the Water Project’ under which member organizations work together to identify water issues in Asia and find solutions. Over the past 7 years, 22 water projects proposed by 9 countries have been completed. Two of these projects involving Bangladesh and countries at the Mekong River basin have been designated by the Ministry of Environment as ODA projects, and they are still underway.
AWC held the Second Asia International Water Week(AIWW) in March 2022. As a leading water cooperation conference held by AWC every three years, AIWW focuses on raising water issues in the global community, working out practical solutions, and promoting cooperation to enhance water welfare within the region.
The second AIWW adopted the Asia to World Statement wherein it urged member countries to cope with climate crisis, improve water welfare, and address water issues in Asia and the international community to join the move.
At these events, the Korean Ministry of Environment and the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing signed an agreement on the relocation of Indonesia’s capital and a letter of intent on bilateral cooperation for the construction of floating photovoltaic systems; thus building a foundation for cross-border cooperation for carbon reduction and economic development.
Immediately following AIWW, AWC participated in the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal, where it shared the results of the 2nd AIWW and urged countries to get actively involved in responding to climate change, revolutionizing water management, and achieving the sustainable development goals(SDGs). AWC took advantage of the second AIWW and the 9th World Water Forum to promote global awareness of climate change, water disasters, and water issues in Asia and to discuss ways of water management in Asia.
As the chair of AWC, K-water not only demonstrates its superior water management capability but also exercises global leadership in responding to water issues.

The 2nd AIWW was held on March 14, 2022 in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.

Leading global cooperation for resolving the water issues of the Mekong River basin

K-water is leading global cooperation in resolving the water issues of the Mekong River basin. In January 2020, it established the Korea-Mekong Water Resource Management Collaborative Research Center(KMCRC) to facilitate global cooperation with five countries at the Mekong River basin: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Since the launch of the research center, K-water has been conducting various research and other projects regarding the Mekong River basin, including the ‘Mekong Water Resource Data Utilization Enhancement Project,’ an international collaborative project jointly planned by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US State Department in collaboration with NASA and US Army Corps of Engineers(USACE).
At the 2nd AIWW, K-water and the Mekong River Commission(MRC) jointly hosted the Korea-Mekong Special Session on the theme ‘ways to promote cross-border cooperation on water resources at the Mekong River basin and manage them.’ In addition, the Korean Ministry of Environment, KMCRC, and United States Agency for International Development(USAID) signed a statement of intent(SOI) for multilateral cooperation to address water issues at the Mekong River basin.
At the 9th World Water Forum, K-water shared the outcomes from KMCRC’s cooperation network and research projects and discussed major issues and ways of cooperation regarding the Mekong River basin with leading international organizations including the US State Department, Stimson Center, Japan Water Forum, and Netherlands Water Partnership.
KMCRC is planning to host the 1st Mekong Korea Water Forum in October 2022.

The 15th AWC board meeting was held on March 13, 2022 in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.

K-water solves water problems in developing countries

Recently, water management has emerged as a key element in coping with climate change. It is crucial to work closely with the rest of the international community in order to respond to climate change and achieve carbon neutrality. This is because climate crisis is a reality facing developed and developing countries alike. In particular, Korea has been steadily expanding its ODA budget for developing countries; this year, its ODA budget has exceeded 4 trillion won for the first time in history. Starting with the 1993 Fenhe River basin research project in China, K-water has implemented 103 ODA projects in 33 countries. Recently, it has been contributing to the global community by implementing ODA projects on behalf of the Ministry of Environment in areas including water resources management, water supply and sewage system for integrated water management, and renewable energy projects in response to climate change.
Currently, K-water has 17 ODA projects underway in 11 countries with total cost of approximately 18.0 billion won. Last year, it launched 7 overseas business projects in collaboration with private partners, which totaled 15.0 billion won; it continues with ODA and follow-up projects, building upon its water market development projects.
With its excellent track record in ODA projects, K-water was designated in February 2022 by the Ministry of Environment as the International Environmental Cooperation Center responsible for environmental and climate ODA and international emission reduction projects. K-water intends to achieve at least 10% of NDC via ITMO by expanding the water-energy-city nexus-based ODA. To this end, K-water will develop new business projects in water-energy-city fields based on the International Environmental Cooperation Center and international cooperation platforms, operate and manage sustainable ODA projects, pursue public aid projects, and invest in overseas projects to promote carbon neutrality.
Furthermore, K-water actively contributes to addressing global water issues by expanding water education and consulting projects in developing countries based on its water management expertise and knowhow.
Starting with the Asia-Pacific water resources manager program back in 1997, K-water has offered water management programs to more than 5,000 people in more than 100 countries. It is currently operating an international curriculum on water management customized to the needs of individual countries in collaboration with international organizations including Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA), ADB, World Bank, and UNESCO.
In particular, K-water and KOICA have been implementing a PMC project to improve the water quality monitoring system targeting Pakistani government employees of the Climate Change Department, Ministry of Water Resources, and Environmental Protection Agency since 2020, and it is scheduled to end in 2024. K-water is also working with ADB to offer consulting on how to enhance the water supply O&M capacity in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
In addition, K-water implemented a preliminary basic investigation project commissioned by ADB in 2019 in connection with water education and consulting for the construction of the international education and research center of Dakar Water Supply and Sewage Service of Bangladesh. The project led to K-water landing a contract on a feasibility study project in 2021, suggesting a new model for water education and consulting.
This year, K-water plans to run 24 educational programs, host workshops for graduates, operate international educational programs, and offer water education and consulting services on the construction of a water education center in Uzbekistan as part of efforts to train global water experts.
K-water is working closely with leading global organizations via various channels of global cooperation to address global water issues.

K-water transferred its smart urban water management knowhow to Uzbekistan in May 2021.
K-water offered smart green city global education programs to developing countries in November 2021.