PHNOM PENH: The 14th Cambodia-Japan Water and Sanitation Workshop 2022, sponsored by Kitakyushu Water and Sanitation Unit - Kitakyushu Overseas Water Business Association (KOWBA) Japan and the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation of Cambodia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)was held on from 27 to 28 January 2022 under the presidency of Senior Minister, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation , Cham Prasidh and the Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia, Mikami Masahiro with the participation of Gentlemen, National and International Guests, Representatives of Departments, Units, Associations, and many other relevant institutions.
The Director General of Kitakyushu Water Supply and Sanitation Unit, Mr. Kaneo Akitoshi , with the Director of the Department of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan Mr. Azuma Toshihiro, the Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia, Mr. Mikami Masahiro, and Senior Minister Cham Prasidh, has expressed his pleasure, support and appreciation for the organization of this workshop every year so far, it is the 14th league conference in Hebei, despite the Covid 19 crisis. This shows the good relations between Cambodia and Japan, and especially in the field of water.Cambodians are always grateful to Japan for its important role in the water sector in Cambodia. As the Khmer proverb says, to eat fruit is to remember the planter.
The Kingsdom’s Senior Minister has thanked the Japanese private sector for taking the time to attend this workshop, both in person and online. This workshop will cover the Cambodian water sector, the situation, the challenges, the preparation of the law on water supply management and the state of the water treatment system in Cambodia, the cooperation of the Japanese side to the water sector in Cambodia and the relationship between Supply of clean water, public health and participation in preventing the spread of Covid-19 disease. I would like to thank and warmly welcome the speakers of Japan who will be presenting their experiences and technologies to the workshop on work related to management, development, water and sanitation, as well as the direction of participation in the development of the Clean Water sector in Cambodia, which will contribute to the achievement of the policy of the Royal Government of Cambodia, has set: "Expand the scope of water supply in urban areas to 90 percent by 2023 and 100 percent by 2025, based on four conditions: water must be quality, safety, sustainability and affordability."
In response to this policy, the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation has been making efforts to promote the development of the water sector through the development of legal documents, investment in water supply systems, Strengthen the institutions of the Public Water Supply Authority, including: monitoring the progress and promotion of the Public Water Supply Authority to become an autonomous unit, encouraging and accelerating the issuance of licenses to private water operators in Participating in the development of the water sector, capacity building of human resources for the sector, building tools to support sector leadership and fundraising for the sector, etc.
There was also the signing ceremony of the report on activities and achievements for two years under the Memorandum of Understanding between, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, Oum Sotha, and the Vice President of Kitakyushu Overseas Water Business Association (KOWBA) from Cambodia, Arita Hitoshi and the General Director of Kitakyushu Water and Sanitation Unit from Japan,Kaneo Akitoshi.
The workshop was chaired by the Secretary of State Oum Sotha, Representative of His Excellency Senior Minister Cham Prasidh until the closing of the workshop on Friday , 28 January 2022.
