Siem Reap, Cambodia – September 7, 2023 – The first Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting and Sub-Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting under the AFD-funded Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) took place in Siem Reap province. Chaired by H.E. Pak Sokharavuth, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, the meeting was attended by 7 PSC members and 11 TWG members from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Siem Reap Municipality, Apsara Authority and GGGI.
H.E. Pak Sokharavuth opened the meeting and expressed his gratitude for moving forward on such an important topic in Cambodia. In his opening remark, the Under-Secretary of State of Ministry of Environment, said, “Cambodia, with her burgeoning urban centers and rapidly expanding industrial sectors as well as the increase of vehicle running on the road every, is not immune to the global challenge of degradation air quality. As we forge ahead with development, it is our moral and ethical responsibility to safeguard the environment and public health”.
Ms. Shomi Kim, GGGI Cambodia Country Representative, gave introductory remarks, which was followed by welcome remarks from Mr. Emmanuel DOLLFUS, AFD Deputy Country Director. Both stressed the need to focus on building the infrastructure required, in-terms of strengthening air quality monitoring stations and creating emissions inventories, in addition to developing policies, to determine the right interventions required to transition the transport sector to achieve clean air. Ms. Shomi Kim, said that the transportation sector has emerged as a major contributor to air pollution in Cambodia together with emissions from industry and waste, releasing harmful pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. She continued, “On the other hand, the penetration rate of the electric vehicle remains less than 0.1% of the registered vehicles in Cambodia. Recognizing the urgency of this situation, I would like to stress how this project is conceived and developed to ensure the improvement of air quality through introduction of cleaner transportation”.
Since the launch of the Air Quality Improvement Project (AQIP) in May 2023, GGGI, in collaboration with the MOE and MPWT, is working on supporting policy development related to air quality, including both local air pollutants and greenhouse gases, as well as proposing governance framework in Siem Reap on public electric vehicle operation and management and Angkor low carbon strategy and investment plan.
The participants discussed and commented on the progress made since the inception phase. These included feedback and comments made on all five outputs designed under the project. H.E. Pak Sokharavuth, concluded the meeting by thanking all for their active participation. The PSC and TWG members appreciated the project outcomes achieved since the inception phase and provided valuable feedback to guide ongoing and planned activities in the following months.
The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) developed the AQIP back in 2020, which is a part of the regional program for Air Quality Improvement in Southeast Asia. Under this project, AFD aims to support partner countries and cities in their efforts to develop and implement policies and projects to improve air quality.