Environment minister Eang Sophalleth speaks at the June 19 signing ceremony of an MoU to promote environmental conservation, natural resource management and climate change response. Environment ministry
The Ministry of Environment signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to reinforce cooperation with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cambodia on June 19. The new agreement aims to promote environmental protection, natural resource management and climate change response, in alignment with the government’s environmental sector strategic framework. The ministry also inked a separate MoU with NagaWorld.
During the signing ceremonies, which were presided over by environment minister Eang Sophalleth, the signatories reaffirmed their commitment to advancing conservation efforts in line with Cambodia’s strategic goals for sustainability and green development.
Chap Vibol, country director of WWF-Cambodia, said the MoU represents a valuable mechanism for enhancing ongoing efforts to protect and conserve natural resources.
He explained that the agreement will support improved monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment of conservation projects, while fostering biodiversity protection through inclusive community engagement.
“Close cooperation with the ministry has yielded impressive results and high effectiveness in conservation efforts, in line with strategies promoting cleanliness, greenness and sustainability,” he said.
“This MoU renewal is not a starting point, but another significant step forward that reaffirms our shared responsibility to protect Cambodia’s environment for present and future generations. Together, we have made considerable progress from reducing deforestation to supporting sustainable agriculture and community engagement in climate adaptation,” he added.
A WWF-Cambodia press release explained that to further strengthen natural resource protection and community well-being, WWF-Cambodia and the ministry have supported various livelihood programmes, from fish farming and cattle banks to ecotourism and agroforestry. These efforts are complemented by environmental education and awareness campaigns that aim to integrate conservation into Cambodian cultural values.
Chen Yepern, managing director of NagaWorld Limited, described their MoU as significant. He declared that it stands as a testament to the collaborative partnership between the ministry, development partners and the private sector, contributing to Cambodia’s national environmental strategy.
He voiced confidence that the collaboration will lead to further environmental improvements, especially by promoting a green mindset, which is a strategic response to expanding forest cover and addressing global climate change challenges.
Sophalleth emphasised that the leadership’s vision is centred on cleanliness, greenness and sustainability. He recalled the words of former prime minister and current Senate president Hun Sen: “Clean beaches, no plastic waste” and “One tourist, one tree”.
He noted that Prime Minister Hun Manet is continuing this legacy, making Cambodia cleaner and greener, and encouraging green values to take root in the mindset of Cambodians at all levels.
The minister stressed that such broad-based collaboration is now a core mission to realize the leadership’s aspirations. Over the past 20 months, the ministry has launched numerous campaigns promoting cleanliness, greenery and sustainability, supported by technical expertise, resources and funding from national and international development partners, the private sector and various other institutions.
By adhering to a shared vision, strategy and mission, these efforts are intended to fulfil the hopes of phase one of the seventh mandate government’s Pentagonal Strategy and bring pride to the Cambodian people on the international stage.
