Background
The Ministry of Environment, represented by Secretary of State Tea Chup, convened an inter-ministerial meeting to examine the full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the construction and operation of the Funan Techo coastal-inland waterway project (phase 2). The project, with a stated length of 151.6 kilometres, will pass through four provinces: Kandal, Takeo, Kampot and Kep. The project owner is Funan Techo Coastal-Inland Waterways Company Limited.
The Funan Techo canal is presented as a major infrastructure initiative to connect inland river systems to Cambodia’s sea, with the stated intention of strengthening national logistics capacity and competitiveness.
Scope of Application
The meeting focused on the full EIA report and related initial environmental impact assessment (IEIA) elements for the Funan Techo canal project (phase 2). The scope covers the proposed construction and operational phases of the 151.6 km canal alignment crossing the four identified provinces.
Participants included representatives from relevant ministries and institutions, specialized general departments of the Ministry of Environment, and 47 technical officials from the Department of Environmental Impact Assessment.
Key Provisions or Decisions
The meeting was convened to review and provide additional technical comments on the EIA and IEIA documentation to ensure that:
- The report is comprehensive and addresses all relevant environmental aspects.
- The project demonstrates attention to environmental protection requirements.
- Mitigation and prevention measures are proposed to address potential negative impacts on physical resources, biological resources, and socio-economic conditions.
- The assessment and proposed measures are consistent with principles of sustainable development.
- The project complies with applicable normative legal instruments and environmental regulations in force.
The published information does not specify any final approval or formal decision on the EIA, focusing instead on the review and comment stage.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
The inter-ministerial review underscores that the Funan Techo canal project is subject to formal environmental impact assessment procedures and cross-ministerial scrutiny. Project developers and related businesses will need to take into account environmental protection requirements and mitigation measures identified through the EIA process.
Compliance with Cambodia’s environmental legal framework and adherence to EIA recommendations will be necessary for the project’s construction and operation phases. The emphasis on sustainable development and conformity with existing legal instruments indicates that additional technical adjustments to project design or implementation may be required as the review process advances.
Official Source
The information is based on an official communication from the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia published on its verified Facebook page.
