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Knowledge sharing and training for the municipalities of Kep and Battambang

On 13-15 June 2022, GGGI organized 3-days of knowledge sharing and training for the municipalities of Kep and Battambang, which took place at the Kep municipal hall, Cambodia.

GGGI has been supporting Cambodian secondary cities to improve waste management and sanitation practices since 2018. GGGI has been working with the municipality of Kep for the past 2 years, focusing on institutional arrangements and financial sustainability. As a result, a dedicated unit was recently formally created within the municipality, with the aim to establish an independent, efficient and financially viable waste collection system. The new unit will aim to have more direct control of fee collection from residents and to better track to efficiency of waste collection services.

The training in Kep focused on the implementation and operation of an accounting and billing system to facilitate fee collection. The system will be operated by the new unit, aiming to improve the low rate of fee collection and to expend collection services to the whole city in a financially sustainable manner. Going forward, other actions will include the development of local regulations and awareness raising activities.

“This project is timely as the Ministry of Environment is working on empowering municipalities to improve fee collection, via an app interface” said Ms Tit Sokha, Kep Municipal Governor.

Battambang is also working on a similar project and will now consider implementing the same accounting and billing system. Apart from the training, the two municipalities shared information and lessons learnt from their respective projects, aiming for closer collaboration in the future as the projects progress.

Previously, GGGI supported Battambang municipality to develop a local enforcement mechanism to facilitate implementation of the waste management laws, and formally delegate some responsibilities to the 10 communes within the municipality. In addition, separation and collection trials for plastic and organic waste, along with awareness raising campaigns, were conducted in Battambang markets and schools. Financial modeling support was provided to private recycling companies, as well as business structuring and support for business strategy and product diversification.