BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1. Various institutions in the Mekong Basin have expressed to UNU the need to develop a network for research and learning on Mekong Basin
2. A workshop in 2005 (see March 2005 Workshop in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand: 'Role of Water Sciences in Transboundary River Basin Management' for more information) was organized to discuss research in the basin. It was proposed to establish a working group to persue the idea of an independent research network that could facilitate basin wide research collaboration. To have a look at the workshop proceedings, just click here.
3. The working group met in AIT, Bangkok to identify research needs and workout a strategy to establish a network.
4. The third meeting of the group was the December 2005 workshop in Dali, Yunnan for the exchange of information among all riparian countries. During this workshop, constitution of a research group called Network Without Walls (NWWL), which caters to all those interested in the environment, hydrology and ecology of the Mekong River Basin, building consensus towards policy improvements for basin environment management was drafted. The network is open to all those who are actively engaged in the study of Mekong basin environment.
5. A brochure describing the network, goals and expected outputs can be downloaded from here.
