This regional Political Economic Analysis (PEA) Refresh is intended as an update or addendum to the existing PEA based on the key issues relevant to transboundary water governance and related energy transition in the Mekong Region and the particular changes or trends that are or have emerged since April/May 2021.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Oxfam is an international confederation of 21 organizations networked together in 85 countries. As part of a global movement for change, we are working together to end world poverty and injustice. We work with thousands of partners in countries around the world and employ staff in a wide variety of posts. We work directly with communities, and we seek to influence the powerful to enable the most marginalized to improve their lives and livelihoods and have a say in decisions that affect them.
THE MEKONG REGIONAL WATER GOVERNANCE PROGRAM AND INCLUSION PROJECT
Oxfam has been implementing the Mekong Regional Water Governance Program (MRWGP) in the Mekong region over the last decade. The governance of water resources is of critical importance to the future of the Greater Mekong region, which covers Cambodia, Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Myanmar, and China (Yunnan Province). Decisions over how the water resources are developed, managed, and shared will influence whether growth will be inclusive and equitable, or will further marginalize millions of people. Decisions on water governance and infrastructure also directly relate to the health and sustainability of ecosystem services and impact biodiversity and livelihoods in the wider basin.
The MRWGP aims to contribute to more inclusive, equitable water governance that reduces the impact of climate change and increases social accountability to citizens in the Greater Mekong region. The program envisions that communities living in the Mekong and Salween River basins can realize their right to sustainable livelihoods.
The Mekong Inclusion Project (IP-1), which was funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) was implemented between 2014-2020. The project has been implemented across five countries in the Lower Mekong and Salween River basins. Building on the achievements gained through IP-1, the second phase (IP-2) began in May 2020 supported by DFAT and the Swiss Development Co-operation (SDC) and is due for completion in Februrary 2025. IP-2 is jointly delivered by an Oxfam-led consortium with International Rivers. The project has three key domains of change:
- Social inclusion, Gender equality, and women’s leadership
- Civil society engagement and networking
- Government and the Private Sector
The MRWGP is a partner-based program with Oxfam supporting more than 30 civil society, academic and institutional partners across the five countries and also at the regional level. The program aims for impact at the regional or transboundary level recognising that meaningful governance of international rivers such as the Mekong and Salween, occurs beyond the sub-national and national levels; and also recognising that river resource management is deeply connected to broader energy policy at national and international levels.
The MRWGP is managed by a Project Management Unit (PMU) based in Oxfam’s regional office in Cambodia. The IP-2 Project is implemented in consortium with International Rivers (IR) with IR staff based in Thailand. Thai based partners are managed by IR directly with country-based partners managed by Oxfam country offices in Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar; and regional partners that are based in a variety of locations are managed by the PMU. The MRWGP and IP-2 is supported by an Oxfam Regional Platform that includes advisors and staff based across the Asia Region with Oxfam Australia providing contractual and oversight support.
ABOUT THE REGIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMIC ANALYSIS (PEA)
This PEA refresh is built on the previous PEA which was commissioned in 2021 to inform the design of the Mekong Regional Water Governance Program (MRWGP) Inclusion Project Phase 2 (IP2). A recommendation from the recent Mid Term Review was to update the regional PEA to inform decision-making and priorities for the end of this project and to contribute towards the project priorities for the next potential phase.
GOAL OF THE Political Economic Analysis (PEA)
To update the key priorities and pathways of change in the Mekong region including 5 lower Mekong countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand) in the 2021 PEA report. The results from this study will be used to inform the design the next phase of the regional Mekong water governance beyond IP-2. Management
The consultancy will be directly managed by the IP-2 Project Manager and guided by a Reference Group comprising Oxfam and partners that will support the identification of stakeholders to be interviewed; literature and other sources of information to be reviewed; contribute to analysis; and review drafts of the report.
SCOPE OF WORK
The PEA refresh would focus on the period April/May 2021 to present with an analysis of the pathways to change going forward which is listed in detailed activities as follows:
- Meet with IP2 Consortium representatives to receive an update on the project to date and the consultancy.
- Desk Review of available project documents/literatures supplemented with key stakeholder interviews.
- Conduct key stakeholder interviews (online) in five/six countries – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar utilizing locally based consultants. Oxfam and IR staff can facilitate access to informants (e.g. suggest persons and contact details) and provide their own analysis – but it is expected that the consultants schedule the meeting and interviews with informants independently.
- Conduct key informants/stakeholders’ interviews to triangulate the secondary data analysis and findings.
- Prepare summaries of themes and lessons from the literature review detailing key regional and national decision-making drivers, structure, and actors in water and energy governance in the Mekong region. These can be annexed to the report.
- Identify
and agree with the Reference Group on the stakeholder actors for the
focused interview. These may include the following (to be finalised
based on availability and advice of the Reference Group) :
- Energy planning and decision-making actors (e.g. energy ministries, national utilities, regulatory bodies, etc) in the Mekong region
- Regional/international governmental and non-governmental organisations and initiatives including:
- MRC
- LMC
- Mekong-US Partnership
- ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC)
- ASEAN-China Cooperation
- ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership
- Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS)
- International Financial Institutions (e.g. AIIB, ADB, WB)
- Govts supporting regional water and energy programs in the Mekong (AUS, US, SDC, China, Singapore).
- Private sector actors including solar and wind companies or sector associations operating in Mekong countries.
- Academics with specialised interest in regional water and related energy governance
- CSOs with specialised interest in regional water and related energy governance
- Facilitate a half-day findings workshop including a PowerPoint presentation (virtually/physically) with the IP-2 consortium representatives, partners, and donors before finalizing the report.
- Produce a report as per key deliverables in the summary section above.
DELIVERABLES
This consultancy assignment will start on 12 March and is expected to be completed by mid-June 2024. The main deliverables are to review and refresh one regional report comprised of that cover five country-level sections which shall be reflected in the report content below.
|
Report Content |
Maximum pages |
|
Executive Summary |
2 pages |
|
Project Outline |
1 page |
|
Study purpose, scope, methodology and limitations |
2 pages |
|
Study findings and conclusion |
8-10 pages |
|
Key Findings |
4-6 pages |
|
Recommendations for IP-2 and beyond:
|
3-5 pages |
|
Annexes (including an updated list of key actors, map of stakeholders, interview notes, desk review documentation of view and perspectives of different stakeholders. Special emphasis on key actors where there is limited analysis in the literature). |
As required |
Others
- Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights.
- Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.
HOW TO APPLY
All applicants should please apply through Oxfam recruitment website:
Please mention "www.Cambodiajobs.Biz" where you saw the ad when you apply!
