Phnom Penh, 3 September 2024 — Mr. Zaheeruddin Babar Thaheem, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Cambodia, praised Cambodia’s significant progress in environmental management during a courtesy call on Dr. Eang Sophalleth, Minister of Environment, on Tuesday afternoon. The ambassador lauded the leadership of the Royal Government of Cambodia for its recent achievements in environmental protection, highlighting the country's efforts in reducing plastic pollution—a major global issue—through active public participation.

Ambassador Thaheem emphasized the importance of tackling climate change, drawing from Pakistan's experience with severe floods in 2022 that caused extensive damage to property and loss of life. He expressed Pakistan's commitment to engaging more actively on the international stage, particularly with Cambodia, to foster closer cooperation in addressing climate change challenges.

During the meeting, Dr. Eang Sophalleth outlined Cambodia’s environmental strategies, emphasizing the success of initiatives aimed at reducing plastic usage. He highlighted the "Today I Do Not Use Plastic Bags" campaign, which has seen widespread participation from over 8.5 million Cambodians, including students, teachers, monks, workers, development partners, and various institutions. This campaign has fostered a cleaner environment, with clean schools, pagodas, villages, communities, and cities becoming symbols of national pride.

The minister also discussed the Ministry of Environment’s "Clean Cambodia, Khmer Can" campaign, which targets plastic waste reduction at the local level. He expressed confidence that Cambodia will achieve its goal of eliminating plastic bags from streets by 2025. Following these cleanup efforts, the country plans to enhance its green spaces by planting more trees. Last year, the Ministry of Environment distributed over 1.3 million trees to citizens, aligning with the national strategy to increase forest cover to more than 60% by 2050.

Dr. Sophalleth emphasized that these greening efforts not only enhance the country's natural beauty but also play a crucial role in attracting tourists and creating opportunities for green investments. The government is focused on securing green financing to support local and social development initiatives, further promoting sustainable growth and environmental resilience.

Ambassador Thaheem’s remarks reflect the growing international recognition of Cambodia’s environmental achievements and underscore the potential for strengthened collaboration between Cambodia and Pakistan in addressing shared environmental challenges. The meeting highlighted the importance of global cooperation in tackling climate change and demonstrated the impact of community engagement in achieving sustainable environmental goals.