Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 23, 2025 — The Ministry of Environment (MoE) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) jointly organized a high-level consultation workshop to advance the implementation of the Tonle Sap Sustainable Environment Initiative.

The consultation brought together key national institutions—including the Tonle Sap Authority, Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), and relevant line ministries—as well as representatives from 18 development partners, subnational authorities, civil society, and academic institutions. The workshop was presided over by H.E. Sum Thy, Director General of the General Directorate of Policy and Strategy at the Ministry of Environment, and Dr. Mallé Fofana, GGGI Asia Regional Director.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Fofana emphasized the importance of collective action: “This is not a program that any single actor can carry alone. It calls for shared ownership, joint solutions, and a long-term commitment to protecting both people’s livelihoods and Cambodia’s most critical natural ecosystem.”

The Tonle Sap Sustainable Environment Initiative is a flagship effort of the Ministry of Environment to restore the ecological health and climate resilience of Cambodia’s most vital freshwater ecosystem. This long-term, multi-phased program aims to mobilize initial investments of around USD 300 million and is structured around four interlinked pillars: Plastic waste reduction, Control of invasive species, Resilient and green livelihoods through ecotourism and Rehabilitation of degraded floodplain ecosystems.

The consultation aimed to identify opportunities for joint action and alignment around these thematic areas. It also laid the foundation for the formation of dedicated working groups under each pillar. These groups will bring together technical expertise and institutional mandates to co-design, co-finance, and implement targeted interventions in a coordinated manner.

GGGI shared its initial roadmap for next steps and reiterated that the complexity of the Tonle Sap region requires a cross-sectoral, collaborative approach.

Development partners—including the World Bank, FAO, iDE, GIZ, KOICA, CI International and WCS—also presented their ongoing work in the Tonle Sap region and expressed strong interest in aligning efforts and scaling up successful models. The Ministry of Environment underscored the urgency of the agenda and encouraged stakeholders to identify “quick-win” interventions that can be launched or expanded immediately.

In closing, the Ministry reaffirmed the Royal Government of Cambodia’s strong commitment to the initiative and called for sustained collaboration across all stakeholder groups. The next steps, in line with recommendations from the Prime Minister’s Office, will include partner mapping, establishment of pillar-specific working groups, and conducting feasibility and cost-benefit assessments to support program design and resource mobilization.