The 4th ASEM Sustainable Development Dialogue was held on 3-5 June 2015 in Ben Tre, Viet Nam. The dialogue focused on the theme, Strengthening Concerted Actions on Water Management Through the Post-2015 Agenda.

At the Rio+20, Leaders around the world recognised the importance of water in sustainable development and the Post-2015 Development Agenda by clearly emphasising that “water is at the core of sustainable development” given its fundamental role to address critical issues such as health, the environment, climate change, energy and food security, and to contribute to poverty eradication and sustainable development in general.

At the 10th ASEM Summit (ASEM10), leaders committed to stimulating tangible cooperation between Asia and Europe in water-related issues, reaffirming ASEM’s engagement to bi-regional cooperation between the Danube and Mekong regions, as a model in transforming the shared challenges related to food, water and energy security into opportunities for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

The ASEM Seminar on Strengthening Concerted Actions on Water Management through the Post-2015 Agenda responds directly to the commitment of the ASEM Leaders. The Seminar is the annual 4th event under the ASEM Dialogue on Sustainable Development framework initiated in 2011 and endorsed by the 9th ASEM Summit (ASEM9). This is also the 2nd seminar that Viet Nam hosted with the co-sponsorship of Bulgaria, Hungary, Lao PDR, Romania, and Thailand. Following the 3 previous successful Seminars in 2012 (Budapest, Hungary), in 2013 (Can Tho, Viet Nam), and in 2014 (Tulcea, Romania), this Seminar provided a platform for ASEM members to validate best practices in water management and consolidate proposals for ASEM’s Post-2015 Vision and stronger actions to achieve sustainable water for all.

The participants underscored the nexus of water, food and energy as major global trend in the next decades and also highlighted the unique Mekong-Danube mechanism within ASEM framework as a model in transforming the challenges related to food, water and energy security into opportunities for inclusive growth and sustainable development. The Seminar also underlined the importance of capacity development, good governance at all levels, innovation and technologies application, inter-displinary research, public-private partnership enhancement and financing, those are amongst the most effective ways to ensure sustainable water management. Participants emphasized the pressing need to enhance prevention, resilience and preparedness towards water-related disasters. Many good experiences and practices, including bilateral, sub-regional and regional arrangements, were shared.

Participants also discussed and proposed a number of recommendations to enhance the tangible cooperation between ASEM Partners to achieve sustainable management of water and river basin through Post – 2015 Development Agenda.