A regional workshop was organized by ESCAP in Bangkok from 11-14 December 2001 to finalize the guidelines on strategic planning and management (SPM) of natural resources (energy and water). This workshop was the first phase of an ESCAP project to strengthen the capacity of developing countries in Asia and the Pacific region in strategic planning and management of natural resources.

42 Participants from 23 member and associate member countries of ESCAP and representatives from various intergovernmental organizations such as ECO, MRC, SAARC, SACEP, ICWC and SOPAC, and other entities such as the ACE and HRC attended this four day workshop.

Parallel sessions on  energy and water formed the core group activities of the workshop, during which guidelines for these sectors for implementing SPM were finalized and adopted for application.

The workshop also provided an opportunity to exchange regional experiences in SPM and  discussed latest developments in the region on this subject. It was also a forum to discuss in detail the applicability of the SPM guidelines.

The participants representing the environment, energy and water sectors agreed that the application of SPM is necessary to ensure an holistic approach in natural resources management for sustainable economic development. The participants expressed their interest in being involved in the follow-up implementation of this project.