The Ministry of Environment of Cambodia has organized a national consultation workshop from 24-25 February 2022 in Kampot Province as part of the UNEP/GEF “Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (SCS SAP Project). 

Participated in by 32 participants, the workshop discussed and finalized the project activities and budget for national and site level execution, which will form part of the agreements between MOE and UNOPS that will support the execution of project activities in Cambodia. A total of 12 sites (three sites for each habitat) were identified for the restoration and management of mangrove, coral reef, seagrass and wetland habitats in the four coastal provinces in Cambodia. It is expected to achieve the targets of 33,978 has of mangroves, 1,080 has of coral reefs, 3,231 has of seagrasses and 21,052 has of wetlands under sustainable use and management.

Key project stakeholders attended the workshop coming from the various departments of the Ministry of Environment at national and provincial level, other ministries and departments, local government organizations, local communities, non-government organizations and universities. 

Mr. Srey Sunleang, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Natural Protected Area, Ministry of Environment Cambodia, welcomed and chaired the workshop. He was assisted by the national project team composed of MOE staff and consultants. Mr. Srey stated that this national face-to-face consultation workshop flags an important event for our implementation of SCS SAP project since we have started amid the threat of Covid-19. He added that comments and inputs from the diverse participants from the four coastal provinces are so crucial for the finalization of the proposed project activities and budget, leading to the PCA agreement and project implementation in the next two years. 

The Ministry of Environment is the national lead agency of the SCS SAP Project in Cambodia. Mr. Srey is the project's alternate chair and chair of the Inter-Ministry Committee and the National Technical Working Group, respectively.