AKP Phnom Penh, July 18, 2025 --

The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MoWRAM), in collaboration with the Australian Government, convened a national consultation workshop to advance the design of the Cambodia Climate Resilience Water Governance Programme (CCRWGP).

The initiative aims to build a more coordinated, inclusive, and climate-responsive approach for managing Cambodia’s water resources.

Held on July 17 in Phnom Penh, the consultation brought together over 170 participants, including senior representatives from government ministries, development partners, civil society, research institutions, and the private sector.

The workshop marked a key milestone in shaping a high-level roadmap for water governance that reflects national development priorities while addressing the growing impacts of climate change.

Speaking at the event, H.E. Mr Thor Chetha, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology, emphasised the urgency of acting now.

“Cambodia’s development ambitions depend on our ability to manage water resources sustainably and equitably. The CCRWGP will provide a modernised and comprehensive framework to guide water governance, integrate inclusive planning, and respond to climate risks that threaten lives, livelihoods, and national progress.”

The CCRWGP builds on Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy and supports the goal of achieving upper-middle-income status by 2030 and becoming a high-income country by 2050. With rising water demand, shifting rainfall patterns, and more frequent floods and droughts, the programme addresses urgent governance gaps while aligning with both ongoing and future initiatives.

H.E. Derek Yip, Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia, said that the CCRWGP aligns with Australia’s development priorities in Cambodia, supporting institutional reform, local leadership, and climate resilience through inclusive partnerships.

“Australia is proud to partner with Cambodia on a programme that places climate resilience, inclusive governance, and local leadership at its core. This initiative reflects our shared priorities and strengthens Cambodia’s capacity to lead on water governance through practical and climate-resilient approaches.”  

The roadmap for climate-resilient water governance, developed through wide-ranging consultations in May 2025, includes four strategic pillars: modernising national water legislation; building capacity and promoting inclusive participation; improving data, systems, and risk management; and implementing pilots and embedded learning. It is designed as a flexible, high-level framework to guide coordinated action across government, development partners, and communities.

Today’s workshop consolidated feedback on the programme design, with stakeholders broadly endorsing the roadmap and offering targeted recommendations. These included strengthening inter-ministerial coordination, accelerating legal and policy reforms, and piloting integrated water governance models at sub-national levels.

The consultation mirrors a shared commitment to inclusive policymaking and national ownership. MoWRAM will now integrate the feedback gathered into the final programme design, with Phase I implementation expected to begin later this year.

As the climate crisis deepens, Cambodia’s efforts to lead with evidence-based, inclusive, and forward-looking water governance offer a critical path to sustainable development.

By Chea Vannak