On Tuesday, 18 April 2024, the Asian Vision Institute (AVI), K-water and the Asia Water Council (AWC) with the support of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia co-hosted a Seminar on “Water Vision: Perspective from Cambodia” to discuss the contexts and situations of the clean water supply in urban and rural Cambodia and the national vision for sustainable water sector development amidst the growing demands for water by households, agriculture, industry and energy sector, and the era of the climate crisis. This seminar was presided over by His Excellency Dr. Kittisethabindit Cheam Yeap, First Vice President of the National Assembly, and Highly Representative of Samdech Moha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
The seminar featured presentations by experts on four topics. Mr. Lim Menghour, Director of the Mekong Centre for Strategic Studies at AVI, moderated the presentations on “Water Resources (IWRM)” and on “Water Supply and Sanitation”, while Dr. Nguonphan Pheakdey, Vice President of AVI, moderated the presentations on “Urban Development” and on “Satellite Utilization”. Experts from Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM), Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MISTI), AWC and K-water shared their presentation and actively discussed, exchanged ideas, and shared actual experiences and knowhow about the current situation and water vision in Cambodia and Korea with participants of the seminar.
The Seminar adopted the “Phnom Penh Statement of Recommendations on Cambodia’s Water Sector Development,” as an outcome of the seminar. It was read by Dr. Yongdeok Cho, Secretary General of AWC, and General Director of K-water and Dr. Chheng Kimlong, President of AVI. The Statement of Recommendations was presented to the representatives from the National Assembly and K-water for policy consultancy taking into consideration (i) Cambodia’s National Strategic Plan on Water Supply and Rural Sanitation 2014-2025 to achieve a nationwide supply of clean water and rural sanitation by 2025 and (ii) the Pentagonal Strategy-Phase I which embraces “Water” as one of the five priorities with the aim to achieve Goal 6 of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development (UNSDGs).
The seminar was attended by Cambodian Members of Parliament, representatives from Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA), and the representatives of the local government from 25 capitals/provinces, the Asian Vision Institute, the Asian Water Council, the Korea Water Supply Authority, KOICA, and KEXIM Bank The event is organized at the Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Seminar was successfully concluded under the leadership of His Excellency Suos Yara, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Information Committee of the National Assembly and Vice-Chairman of the Asian Assembly of Water Council (AAWC) on the same day.
