On Wednesday, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology, Mr. Tho Jetha, called for support and cooperation from relevant ministries and institutions to improve water resources management, emphasizing that the role of water is not only for agricultural irrigation.
He made the remarks at a conference summarizing the work results of the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, the National Mekong River Commission of Cambodia and the Tonle Sap Authority for 2024 and the implementation direction for 2025 at the Sokha Hotel in Phnom Penh on February 12.
In his opening remarks, he said that under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, the Royal Government remains committed to the water resources and meteorology sector.
“The government’s commitment is embodied in the first phase of the Pentagon Strategy, which prioritizes five key sectors: people, roads, water, electricity and technology for growth, jobs, equity, efficiency and sustainability.
He added that these priorities are the foundation towards achieving the vision of becoming an upper middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050.
Mr. Tho Jetha, who serves as the Chairman of the Cambodian Mekong River Commission and the Tonle Sap Authority, emphasized that the water resources sector is not a sector that only serves agricultural irrigation, but rather serves multiple sectors such as environmental protection, industry, energy, transportation, tourism, rural development, aviation, and disaster management, which require cooperation and support from relevant ministries and institutions.
He added that the Water Resources and Meteorology Sector Development Strategic Plan and the 5-Year Development Strategic Plan (2024-2028) of the three ministries and institutions clearly set out priority activities, indicators, and clear timelines for implementing activities.
The plan also establishes a monitoring and evaluation mechanism based on a key achievement framework and also defines the responsibilities of each specialized department.
He added that this approach is to ensure success in developing, managing, and conserving water resources effectively, efficiently, and sustainably.
It is worth recalling that on February 4, he urged members of the Cambodian Mekong River Commission and stakeholders to prioritize strengthening water resources management in the 2024 summary meeting and outlined the implementation direction for the 2025 strategy.
He stressed that the Royal Government recognizes the strategic importance of water resources management and is committed to improving it to ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply for the nation.
“This can be achieved through continued cooperation with regional and global stakeholders, as well as promoting transboundary river basin management,” he added.
