On Monday, Cambodia officially launched a South-South Cooperation project on climate-resilient Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) with support from China and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
According to a statement from the Cambodian Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MISTI), this initiative reaffirms a shared commitment to ensuring that the most vulnerable communities have access to clean, safe, and climate-resilient water and sanitation services, while addressing the increasing threats posed by climate change.
Minister of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation Hem Vanndy stated that Cambodia has made significant progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals. “These goals include ensuring universal and equitable access to safe, affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene services for all by 2030, while prioritizing the needs of women, girls, and vulnerable populations,” he said.
Under this cooperation, three Cambodian ministries — MISTI, the Ministry of Rural Development, and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport — will be directly involved in the project and will benefit from technical and financial support from China’s Ministry of Water Resources and UNICEF China. According to the statement, a comprehensive multi-year plan has been developed, which includes enhancing water quality and sanitation in schools and communities, as well as implementing solar-powered and gravity-fed water systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The statement also noted that approximately four million Cambodians rely on water supply and sanitation services that are increasingly at risk due to frequent droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events.