His Excellency Dr. Eang Sophalleth, Minister of Environment, received a courtesy visit from Ms. Tania Meyer, World Bank Country Manager for Cambodia, together with Mr. Jean-Dominique Bescond, Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist & Blue Economy and new task team leader for the Cambodia Sustainable Landscape and Ecotourism Project (CSLEP), to discuss progress in their cooperation and additional support for the environment sector, on the afternoon of 7 October 2026, at the Ministry's headquarters.
To begin, Ms. Tania Meyer expressed her appreciation for the Ministry of Environment's efforts in implementing the "Circular Strategy on Environment," which focuses on three priorities: Clean, Green, and Sustainable.
In the same vein, Mr. Jean-Dominique Bescond highlighted continued close cooperation with the Ministry of Environment's technical team and the Cambodia Sustainable Landscape and Ecotourism Project (CSLEP) to more effectively advance natural resources management and improve community livelihoods in protected areas.
In response, His Excellency Dr. Eang Sophalleth expressed deep gratitude to the World Bank, which has always been a strong development partner and has provided both technical and financial support to Cambodia.
The Minister emphasized that the progress of the CSLEP project not only helps protect forest cover and biodiversity but also contributes to advancing the "Green Destination" goal, creating new jobs and increasing incomes for local people in the communities.
Taking advantage of the occasion, both sides agreed to advance the implementation of the CSLEP project to the construction of a mountain road to Khnong Phsar, an attractive green destination in the Cardamom Mountains National Park, in Kampong Speu province, which has made a significant contribution to improving local community livelihoods and protecting natural resources sustainably.
In the follow-up strategy, under the leadership of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, the Ministry of Environment will arrange infrastructure to transform the green destination in the Cardamom Mountains National Park into a highly potential natural tourism gateway. The Ministry of Environment continues to expand the construction of a road of approximately 10 km connecting from Khnong Phsar to the Chi Phat area, in the Thma Bang district of Koh Kong province. The study on connecting this tourist route or nature trail will allow tourists to travel, explore, and relax amid natural scenery with many beautiful waterfalls, transforming these areas into a vibrant tourism economic hub to improve the livelihoods of local people in the community and contribute more effectively to forest protection. The World Bank has been and is conducting studies and providing further support for these projects.
By: Srey Pi
