The government of Japan donated ten garbage trucks to the Ministry of Environment on December 17, with the ministry planning to give them to ten provinces. Minister of Environment Say Samal says the donation is a contribution towards improving Cambodia's environment over the next five years.
The donation was provided through Japan's Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (KUSANONE) under an agreement signed at the ministry by Samal and Japanese ambassador to Cambodia Mikami Masahiro.
According to the environment ministry press statement on December 17, Samal recalled that in the years that have passed since 2013 when he was appointed environment minister, Cambodian people have started to think more about the environment and its connection to their livelihoods and the economy.
He said several factors encouraged him to take the opportunity to establish a clear vision for promoting the environment in Cambodia with the main missions of his ministry being environment and biodiversity protection and natural resources preservation, among others.
Rubbish and solid waste management in towns and cities is an aspect of environmental protection that requires clear goals, management systems, strategies, and legal procedures to make it successful, he said.
“Along with human resources to carry out the plan, it also needs materials such as the garbage trucks that the Japanese government, through the embassy of Japan, provided to the ministry today,” Samal said.
Samal thanked the Japanese embassy for its support. He said his ministry is always ready to work with Japan on environmental issues.
Masahiro said that environmental issues are just one of many areas of cooperation Japan has with Cambodia. The embassy appreciates the environment ministry for their work, particularly on improving rubbish and solid waste management.
He said waste management is sophisticated and difficult work that requires time, patience, education and participation from the general public.
