A new sewage treatment plant in the southern part of Phnom Penh was inaugurated on December 27, in a ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Hun Manet.
The Choeung Ek plant, constructed with a $24 million grant from the Japanese government, will treat wastewater before releasing it into the Bassac River.
Manet expressed his gratitude to Japan, saying he considers it an important partner who has supported Cambodia with skills, technical aspects and development assistance since the end of the Civil War.
“Japan has been our close partner for a long time, and this relation will continue. This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between us. We had upgraded those ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership,” he said.
He also called on the public to participate in the protection of all of the achievements the Kingdom has made thus far, in order to prevent a return to the situation of 40 years ago.
Phnom Penh governor Khuong Sreng noted Japan’s support for the development of physical infrastructure in the capital, saying the assistance would strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
Sreng also stressed the close attention the government is paying to the improvement of essential infrastructure.
“During the previous government mandate, Japan provided grants of $24 million to construct the Choeung Ek Sewage Treatment Plant. Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony on February 22 last year, presided over by then-Prime Minister Hun Sen,” he said.
The plant has the capacity to pump 5,000 cubic metres of sewage per day, and features a sludge treatment facility.
Japanese ambassador Atsushi Ueno, who was also present at the launch, shared his appreciation for the Kingdom’s remarkable economic development. He said the rapid develop of the capital means that sewage treatment has become an issue that needs to be solved. The city’s growth also requires improvements to clean water systems and electricity, he added.
“Sewage treatment systems are important piece of infrastructure for fast-developing cities. At the same time, it is not always easy to find free space to construct them,” he said.
Ueno noted that the Choeung Ek Sewage Treatment Plant is of high quality, and utilises new technology developed by Japan. It also requires a smaller “footprint” of land than a standard facility.
“Japan has been cooperating with Cambodia in many different areas for some time, including peacekeeping, post-war recovery, and development of democracy and human resources. It is also important that water-related infrastructure development is not overlooked,” said Ueno.