In cooperation with UNESCAP in the application of strategic planning and management guidelines in Pakistan, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) organized a two-day multi-stakeholders Workshop to discuss the findings and recommendations of the drafted the strategic plan in Islamabad on 19-20 February 2004.  The Workshop was attended by 22 leading experts of all major water research institutions in Pakistan. 

The Workshop participants, particularly those representing other research institutions recognized important achievements of the current leadership of PCRWR in reinvigorate research activities of PCRWR and called on PCRWR to strengthen its role in coordinating research activities of all the water-related research and development organizations so as to more effectively support the socio-economic development process.  In this connection, they recommended that vision and mission statements of PCRWR should be updated to be more comprehensive and reflective of the mandate of PCRWR. 

In the context of the perspective plan for 2001-2010, the participants recommended research in water resources to aim at the following themes: (1) social equity for poverty eradication and social stability, (2) economic growth for national prosperity, (3) environmental conservation to provide better living conditions and minimize impacts of natural disasters including those expected from global climate change, (4) good governance for better efficiency and effective participation of all stakeholders, and (5) non-traditional approaches for better resource mobilization and effective application of research results.

The participants were of the view that a platform should be established to enhance coordination among the concerned organizations.  Such a platform should prepare guidelines for project appraisal, development, execution, monitoring, etc. and function as a forum to develop stronger linkage between research and industry. For this purpose, PCRWR was requested to play its focal/leading role.  They were of the view that a strong network through the platform, established at national, could play an important role as an effective and facilitating gateway for better linkage to the regional and international levels.

The participants expressed their sincere appreciation to PCRWR and UNESCAP for organizing the workshop which provided them with opportunities to exchange ideas, experiences and views regarding priorities, future directions and opportunities for more effective collaboration.  They recommended that efforts be made to build on the momentum and interest generated by the workshop, especially towards increasing the frequency of interactions among the research institutions.  They therefore confirmed their keen interest and commitment to making the proposed platform an effective forum and foundation for collaboration on research in water resources and called on PCRWR to launch the platform as soon as possible.

On the basis of the recommendations of the Workshop, two special working sessions were subsequent organized for senior staff of PCRWR to discuss recommendations of the Workshop and to improve the draft strategic plan.  The participants of the two sessions recommended the following mission statement for PCRWR: “Mobilize essential resources from all stakeholders and ensure efficient utilization of these resources for research in water resources towards meeting priority needs of socio-economic development of Pakistan.”

It was expected that the following activities would be initiated by PCRWR soon to launch the platform for coordination of water resources research.