BALI: The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Environment and Head of the Cambodian Delegation at the Joint Environment and Climate Ministerial Meeting (JECMM), Eang Sophalleth, has said that Cambodia, as a country vulnerable to global environmental risks, is strongly committed to contributing to environmental response activities.

Addressing the G20 Ministerial Meeting held under the theme "Recover Together, Recover Stronger" on Wednesday, 31 August, in Bali, Indonesia, Secretary Eang Sophalleth said that in the past 30 years, Cambodia restored its peace and stability, and also achieved rapid economic growth and poverty reduction. Cambodia is moving towards a new stage of development with the aim of reaching upper-middle-income country status in the coming decades. He added that Cambodia has sustainable development plans and working towards resilience and a green economy have become key directions in addressing environmental issues and rehabilitation strategies in the Southeast Asian nation.

"These plans are reflected in Cambodia's Covid-19 pandemic strategy," he said.

"We have restarted the economy, we need to ensure that we follow a path that creates jobs for vulnerable people and allows them to recover from this difficult situation. Recent studies in industry and energy in Cambodia have shown that green technology tends to create more growth and jobs than traditional technology, so investing in green technology is a great way to do that. ”

The G20 meeting was chaired by the Minister of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia, as it currently assumes the rotating chair of the G20 in 2022. The meeting was attended by delegates, ministers and deputy ministers of all G20 countries, along with Cambodia as the rotating chair of ASEAN, and a number of organizations under the auspices of the United Nations.