Leaving their instruments behind, Ukrainian musicians return home to take up arms

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Seoul Pops Orchestra director Ha Sung-ho to organize concert for Ukraine

Leaving their instruments behind, Ukrainian musicians return home to take up arms

Seoul Pops Orchestra director and conductor Ha Sung-ho said that SPO will be performing a fundraising concert this month for Ukraine and the Ukrainian artists of the orchestra, who have left South Korea to join the fight against Russian troops.

Seoul Pops Orchestra has four Ukrainian members, three of whom — contrabassist Ziuzkin Dmytro, 47, violist Lev Keler, 51, and trumpet player Matviyenko Konstyantyn, 52 — have left South Korea to fight for their country.

Explaining that the orchestra’s members have not been able to see each other since a New Year‘s concert in January due to the fast-spreading omicron variant, Ha told The Korea Herald, “I was worried about our Ukrainian members in light of the situation between Russia and Ukraine.“

Ha explained that after many members of the orchestra made efforts to contact the Ukrainian artists, they were found to have left the country for their homeland.

The 70-year-old conductor said that the orchestra received a photo from Dmytro showing the musician in a military uniform holding a gun on Wednesday.

“I have been working with our members for almost 20 years. The orchestra is like a group, almost like a family. We do have Russian artists, but everyone is worried about our colleagues,” Ha said.

“I am worried about all of our members, because I have not heard much about them. I only hope they stay safe,” the conductor added.

From Ukrainian artists to sports players and Olympic athletes, many people are reported to have returned to their homeland to stand against the invading Russian troops.

Meanwhile, the upcoming Tongyeong International Music Festival, an annual event where acclaimed international classical musicians and Korean artists perform, is scheduled to run as planned from March 25 to April 3.

“We are aware of the ongoing situation between Ukraine and Russia. Though nothing can be said to be certain, our programs for this year’s TIMF do not have any changes at the moment, including the ones with Russian artists,” a TIMF official told The Korea Herald on Thursday.

“The festival will try to focus on music,” the official added.

By Lee Si-jin

Published : March 04, 2022

By : The Korea Herald

Ceasefire in Ukraine now: ASEAN

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ASEAN foreign ministers have issued a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, as Cambodia joined 140 countries and seven bloc members to vote in favour of the UN resolution censuring Russia on its military offensive in the embattled nation.

Ceasefire in Ukraine now: ASEAN

In a joint press statement on March 3, the bloc’s foreign ministers expressed their concerns about the intensifying gravity of the situation, as well as worsening humanitarian conditions resulting from the ongoing military hostilities in Ukraine.

“We therefore call for an immediate ceasefire or armistice and continuation of political dialogue that would lead to sustainable peace in Ukraine. We underline the importance of a ceasefire in order to create an enabling environment for negotiations to address the current crisis and avoid the continued suffering of innocent people,” read the statement.

“We reiterate our belief that there is still room for peaceful dialogue to prevent the situation from getting out of control, and to halt the growing number of civilian and military losses and casualties, as well as the negative impacts felt worldwide.

“In this regard, ASEAN stands ready to facilitate, in any way possible, peaceful dialogue among the parties concerned.”

Cambodia was among 140 countries to vote ‘yes’ on co-sponsoring the draft resolution of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on March 2 condemning the offensive.

The resolution – which demands that Russia immediately cease the use of force against Ukraine and withdraws its military forces – saw 35 abstentions and five countries voting against, including Russia.

In the 10-nation ASEAN, Cambodia was one of eight member states – including crisis-hit Myanmar – who voted for the resolution, while the Kingdom’s neighbours Laos and Vietnam had abstained.

In a separate statement on March 3 concerning the UNGA vote, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said: “We believe in dialogue and diplomacy to prevent the situation from getting out of control and to find a peaceful resolution in accordance with international laws and the principles of the UN Charter.

“While understanding the security concerns at stake, Cambodia upholds its firm position that all member states [of the UN] must respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of other member states.”

Addressing the UNGA on March 2, Permanent Representative of Cambodia to the UN Ke Sovann said the Kingdom “strongly believed” that long-lasting peace can be achieved only through peaceful dialogue and negotiation.

He called on all parties involved in the war to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and stressed that access to humanitarian assistance in and around Ukraine must be guaranteed during this “difficult time”.

Following the UNGA draft resolution, several foreign embassies in Cambodia praised the Kingdom for joining the majority vote to denounce the former USSR.

“Excellent to see Cambodia … join the US and many others in co-sponsoring a UN resolution that most ASEAN nations supported, deploring Russian aggression and demanding an end to its unprovoked war against Ukraine. The world is taking action to hold Russia accountable,” tweeted US ambassador to Cambodia Patrick Murphy.

The French embassy in Phnom Penh said it was also pleased to see its host country sharing a similar “attachment” to the UN Charter, as well as to the principles that founded the international order.

“Let us be united in putting an end to the suffering of the Ukrainian people and find the path to peace!” it said in a Facebook post.

Kin Phea, director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s International Relations Institute, noted that Cambodia’s vote at the UNGA is evidence that the Kingdom does not support the military attack on a smaller nation by a larger one. Rather, Cambodia is interested in seeing a peaceful solution that was based on the rules and mandates of the UN Charter, he said.

“Cambodia doesn’t want to see a situation in which the bigger country is automatically the winner” due to its aggression and military might,” he said.

As the Russia-Ukraine war entered its second week on March 3, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng announced that he had issued instructions to Cambodian authorities and armed forces to ensure the safety of all foreign embassies and their representatives in the Kingdom, as he noted there could be “opportunists” who could “cause trouble” at sites which also included diplomatic residences.

Kheng said the impacts of the war had already been felt in Cambodia through the increase of oil and gas prices.

Published : March 04, 2022

By : The Phnom Penh Post

Japan to accept Ukrainian refugees

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Japan will accept Ukrainian refugees who have fled to other countries because of the ongoing conflict in their country, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has revealed.

Japan to accept Ukrainian refugees

“First, we have in mind [Ukrainians] who have relatives and acquaintances in Japan. And going beyond that, we plan to respond to the situation from a humanitarian perspective,” Kishida said at the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday.

Kishida informed Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki about the policy during their phone talks on Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have reportedly fled to Poland.

“We’d like to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people at this crucial stage,” Kishida said. “We will implement the necessary procedures as soon as possible.”

Japan’s daily cap on international arrivals in place because of pandemic measures is not expected to apply to Ukrainian refugees, Kishida said.

Published : March 04, 2022

By : The Japan News

Washington should stop salting Cold War wound in Ukraine crisis: China Daily editorial

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Since the tensions between Russia and Ukraine erupted into conflict on Feb 24, China has consistently called for an end to the fighting and for the two sides to engage in negotiations to reach a political solution to the crisis.

Washington should stop salting Cold War wound in Ukraine crisis: China Daily editorial

In a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi once again called for the two sides to resolve their differences through dialogue, saying the urgent task at hand is to de-escalate the situation on the ground as much as possible and avoid the intensification or loss of control of the conflict.

Wang said China is extremely concerned about the safety of civilians in Ukraine, where heavy fighting has resulted in more than 536 confirmed civilian casualties, with the actual number expected to be much higher, and the internal displacement of hundreds of thousands.

Chinese citizens in Ukraine are among those at risk, and the process of evacuating overseas Chinese citizens and students from Ukraine is underway. Wang expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian government and society for the support, cooperation and help they were providing.

With Russian and Ukrainian delegates due to meet again on Wednesday, China hopes that the dialogue and negotiation process can bear some fruit, heralding a political settlement that accommodates both sides’ legitimate security concerns.

The international community should support the negotiations rather than trying to exploit the crisis.

In the past few days, some developments from Western countries in the name of sanctioning Russia have pointed to a worrying tendency that they view Ukraine as the venue for a proxy war with Russia. That will have a profound impact on strategic equilibrium in Europe and the world at large, and the possibility that it could even ignite a much larger conflict should not be dismissed.

The current crisis in Ukraine is the result of the clash between the strategic interests of Russia and NATO, and it is the United States that has aggravated the situation and is seeking to profit from it by pouring fuel on the fire. With such an ill trend, it is proving hard for some countries to view the situation in the clear light of reason.

The Russia-Ukraine crisis is a wound of the Cold War that has been reopened and salted by Washington. The international community, particularly the European countries, should try and step away from the biases of the past and view the situation objectively. In recent years, the history-should-be-over warriors in the US have been relentless in their efforts to revive the divisions of the Cold War. Now is the time for the rest of the world to say no.

The fear and hysteria being whipped up by Washington make it hard to defuse the Ukraine situation, but it is not impossible if countries remain rational. Further worsening of the situation must be prevented. China will support and encourage all efforts conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis.

Published : March 03, 2022

By : China Daily

Cambodia rejects meddling in Ukraine ‘proxy war’: PM

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Cambodia rejects the use or threats of force and does not side with any of the parties in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Hun Sen has declared. The premier stated that support for any party in what he believed had evolved into a proxy battle between the former USSR and US-led NATO countries would violate the Kingdom’s own policy of non-alignment with military blocs.

Cambodia rejects meddling in Ukraine ‘proxy war’: PM

Speaking at a ceremonial inauguration of a stretch of National Road 3 linking Phnom Penh to Kampot province on March 2, Hun Sen lamented the fact that the Russian-Ukraine war had gone beyond the borders of the two countries, as he stressed his intention for Cambodia to refrain from officially expressing support for either party for this reason.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has effectively become the “Russia-Europe war”, Hun Sen observed, as he said many countries in Europe have “sent their people to help fight in Ukraine”, along with military aid.

“We don’t support [the idea of third party countries] providing assistance to any side. This is why it is hard for us to show our position and views. If the issue was just between Russia and Ukraine, it would be easy for us to [express] our views.

“But now, it has become an ‘internationalised’ or ‘Europeanised’ war in Ukraine, through the country opening its borders and allowing foreign citizens to bear arms on its behalf, and welcoming foreign countries’ provision of weapons and fighter jets,” he said.

“Our position from the start to the end is that we don’t support the use of force or threats against another party. This is our official position that I had [articulated] at the UN, and at the Non-Aligned Movement,” he added, referring to the forum of developing countries that are not formally aligned with any bloc.

Hun Sen said military assistance for Ukraine will not cause the war to subside, but will only increase both parties’ motivation to continue bloodshed. He urged all sides to continue negotiations as he reiterated his belief that war cannot be ended by another war.

“We are against the use of force and threats. This is our position. We urge negotiation for a solution. I hope that both sides of the conflict understand Cambodia’s position,” Hun Sen said, adding that Cambodia should not be forced to side with any party.

Since Russia launched its military offensive in Ukraine a week ago, the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR has estimated that around 660,000 refugees have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries. Some of them had even crossed the border into Russia in hopes of seeking refuge, the agency said.

Hun Sen said he had also discussed the issue at a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on February 24, during which the latter said Malaysia would be maintaining a position of neutrality.

Hun Sen stressed that his view represented that of the Kingdom and that despite Cambodia’s current chairmanship of ASEAN, it was not reflective of the bloc’s position. He added that Cambodia had held the ASEAN chairmanship at a challenging time as “issues have been piling up,” listing them as, among others, efforts to push forward the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea; the Myanmar issue, and now the Russia-Ukraine war.

Despite abstaining from siding with either country, Hun Sen offered his view that Russia will not win the war because, he said, “foreigners will not win over the local people”.

He offered his assessment of the military situation, ostensibly drawing from his time as a military general. He speculated that the 64km convoy entering the capital Kyiv could be “attacked and broken into separate parts”, and suggested that Russian troops may divide themselves into smaller groups to avoid an “all-out” battle.

“So the war will be prolonged if Russia decides to station their troops in Ukraine. It will lead to an ambush which will cause each side to have constant bloodshed,” he warned.

Without naming Donetsk and Luhansk – the regions at the heart of Russia’s justification for its military offensive – Hun Sen said Cambodia was not promoting “separation or secession” akin to that which has been seen in “Kosovo, Hong Kong, Tibet, and Taiwan”.

Kin Phea, director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s International Relations Institute, observed that the position articulated by Hun Sen was in line with the country’s foreign policy of neutrality and non-alignment, as enshrined in Article 53 of the Constitution.

Since the war has gone beyond the two countries to become a proxy conflict between Russia and the US-led NATO, Phea said, the Kingdom would be violating its policy of non-alignment if it favours any side in the war.

“If we show support to [any] side, we’d be pouring petrol on the fire. Cambodia is a small country which used to be invaded by neighbouring countries. But we have never been in a position to invade others, so Cambodia will not accept an invasion [of any nation] by a powerful [aggressor].

“The decision not to condemn or side with any [party] is coming from a position of not wanting to see conflict. We don’t want to see war or invasion by a big country of a smaller one,” he said.

By Ry Sochan

Published : March 03, 2022

By : The Phnom Penh Post

Toyota resumes operations at all Japan plants after cyberattack

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NAGOYA (Jiji Press) — Toyota Motor Corp. resumed operations at all of its plants in Japan on Wednesday morning, after the previous day’s blanket halt due to a cyberattack at a supplier.

Toyota resumes operations at all Japan plants after cyberattack

Until the cyberattack-hit system at the supplier, Kojima Industries Corp., is restored, Toyota will use alternative means to operate a total of 28 production lines at 14 domestic plants as usual.

Kojima Industries, which makes resin parts for automobile interior and exterior products, confirmed Saturday night that a server computer had been infected with a computer virus displaying a threatening message. The company then shut down its system entirely, making it unable to receive and place orders.

In response to the incident, Toyota cautioned a total of some 1,300 domestic and overseas parts and material makers that it has direct transactions with to thoroughly implement security measures in accordance with the Japanese automaker’s regulations.

Published : March 03, 2022

By : The Japan News

Vietnam pledges to promote human rights and fundamental freedom

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GENEVA — Việt Nam will promote the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in a comprehensive and holistic manner, in all civil, political, economic, social, cultural and developmental aspects.

Vietnam pledges to promote human rights and fundamental freedom

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn spoke at the high-level segment of the 49th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday.

“Our efforts will focus in particular on the protection of vulnerable groups and combating violence and discrimination against them,” he said.

Việt Nam will also concentrate on the promotion of gender equality, especially for women and girls in the era of digital transformation; and on protection and promotion of human rights in addressing global issues, especially climate change, he said.

“We will work to promote the right to health, particularly in the unpredictable context of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases,” he said.

The country will also promote the right to decent work in joint efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the right to quality education based on equality of opportunity and universal access.

Addressing the event, the Vietnamese minister said: “The world is at a crucial juncture.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic is draining resources, disrupting economies, deepening existing divides and inequalities, effectively wiping out years of development progress. For the first time in decades, extreme poverty is, once again, on the rise.”

“Meanwhile, violence and armed conflicts continue to break out and rage on in many areas, threatening peace, stability and development, undermining the prospect of a robust, sustainable recovery of the world economy.”

He said: “All this is on top of the existential threat of climate change and environmental degradation, which affects all nations and all peoples.”

He added that: “At the same time, never before, humanity holds so much power, enabled by advancements in technology and innovation, to influence and determine the character of the world we live in.”

Today’s technologies can foster connections and linkages to bring peoples and nations closer together, and can enhance dialogue, understanding and cooperation to ensure peace, stability, prosperity and to address the global challenges, he said.

“We can choose to shift towards a green, circular, digital economy which empowers people, improves livelihoods and protects the environment.”

“This opportunity urges us to build forward better, to ensure everyone is equal in the pursuit of happiness, freedom and sustainable development, and that no one is left behind,” Minister Sơn said.

For 77 years since its independence in 1945, Việt Nam has been taking on an unwavering commitment to delivering to our people the very values that the UN is striving for, he said.

He highlighted that people are at the heart of Việt Nam’s development strategy.

“They are both the chief beneficiary and the principal driver of Việt Nam’s development process.”

“We seek to balance GDP growth with cultural and social progress, environmental protection and climate resilience,” he said.

“This people-centric and holistic approach has enabled Việt Nam to effectively tackle challenges.”

Due to COVID-19, Việt Nam’s GDP growth in 2021 was 2.58 per cent and is projected to accelerate to 5.5 per cent this year.

The poverty rate continues to fall and Human Development Index keeps improving.

Facing the pandemic, with assistance from international partners, Việt Nam has effectively launched the nation’s largest-ever vaccination campaign. Việt Nam is now among the countries with the highest vaccination coverage with 97 per cent of the adult population fully vaccinated.

The country is now preparing for a green and inclusive post-pandemic recovery, he said.

Noting that it was at this High Level Segment last year that Việt Nam formally presented its candidature for membership of the Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, Sơn said: “We pledge to make positive contributions to the work of the Council in the spirit of Mutual Respect, Dialogue and Cooperation, Ensuring All Human Rights, for All.”

“We stand ready to work closely with other member states and stakeholders to uphold the principles of the UN Charter and international law, and strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the Human Rights Council through dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect.” — VNS

Published : March 03, 2022

By : Vietnam News

S. Korea says mobile phones, other consumer goods not under US’ export curbs on Russia

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Mobile phones, cars and other consumer goods are not subject to the United States’ sweeping restrictions on exports to Russia, South Korea’s trade ministry said Thursday.

S. Korea says mobile phones, other consumer goods not under US' export curbs on Russia

Last week, the US government announced the Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR) for “all of Russia” as part of its export controls to block Russia’s access to global high-tech products and other major items, such as semiconductors, over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The measure calls on companies to receive a license from the US for tech-related items using US technology before they can be shipped to Russia, which is feared to affect major South Korean exporters, as they use US technology and software.

During a working-level meeting between Seoul and Washington held Tuesday, the US Commerce Department confirmed that smartphones, cars, washers and other consumer goods are exceptions to the FDP rules as long as they are not shipped to military-related users, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said.

South Korean firms could also get approval for planned shipment to their factories in Russia through the US’ case-by-case examinations, according to the ministry.

South Korea is seeking to receive an exemption from the FDP rules, as it was not included in the US’ exception list of 32 nations. (Yonhap)

Published : March 03, 2022

By : The Korea Herald

Ukraine envoy touched by global show of solidarity

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KUALA LUMPUR: With Russia having attacked his country, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Malaysia Olexander Nechytaylo was visibly touched to receive a show of solidarity from over 30 heads and representatives of foreign diplomatic missions at the embassy here.

Ukraine envoy touched by global show of solidarity

The Expression of Solidarity event hosted by the embassy saw representatives from European Union (EU) nations and others like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Ghana, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Timor-Leste.

Nechytaylo thanked the global community for their concern and support of “Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

“Ukrainians will never forget your generosity during these hard times.“My words of particular gratitude to those who have provided much-needed defence equipment, medical supplies, fuel, financial resources and refuge to save many lives and keep us going,” he told the gathering at the embassy housed at Menara Tan & Tan here yesterday.

He also noted that over 400 civilians, including 16 children, had been killed in the Russian invasion.

“All these crimes are being carefully documented for further legal proceedings in the International Criminal Court. We are bleeding, but we are fighting back with even more resolve,” he added.

The ambassador again called on the Malaysian government to take a clearer stand on Russia’s move, adding that its invasion of Ukraine was against the fundamental principle of Malaysia’s foreign policy.

“I have officially communicated with Wisma Putra regarding the government’s latest statement.

“What is happening in Ukraine is contradicting the principle of international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is against the United Nations and Asean charters as well as the fundamental principle of Malaysia’s foreign policy,” Nechytaylo said in reply to a question from the media.

In a recent interview with a local radio station, Nechytaylo said there should be a clearer definition of “who is the invader and who is the criminal” in the conflict.

Adding that the embassy took note of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s statement on the situation, he said there was room for a clearer position based on international law and the sanctity of the UN charter.

Nechytaylo also said it was time for the EU to take in Ukraine as a member of the bloc.

“We are receiving unprecedented support from the EU, and what the Ukrainian people are defending now are the values that are enshrined in the EU flag.

“We believe that it’s time for the EU to make a decision because extraordinary times require extraordinary decisions,” he added.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had signed an official request for Ukraine to join the EU immediately under a special procedure as it defended itself from Russian forces.

By JUNAID IBRAHIM

Published : March 02, 2022

By : The Star

Low water flows in Mekong ‘behind lack of clean water’

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Low water flows in the Mekong River are to blame for the lack of clean water supply in Phnom Penh and surrounding areas, a senior official said while also expressing optimism that the issue might be resolved next year when several clean water facilities are slated for completion.

Low water flows in Mekong ‘behind lack of clean water’

Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) director-general Long Naro said at a press conference on March 1 that the record-low levels of water in the Mekong River in the last five years have been identified as one of the main causes of the clean water shortage plaguing the capital and Takhmao town in neighbouring Kandal province.

Naro noted that water had recently dropped up to 1m below the river’s usual levels. The PPWSA had determined that the river water must reach 3m during the dry season to enable the pumping of water to its treatment facility, where it can then be supplied to households. At the moment, the water level stands at just 2m, he said.

He added that there is currently a shortage of between 1,000 to 2,000 cubic metres of water that has to be pumped into the treatment facility per hour to ensure a constant supply of running water.

However, he expressed confidence that the capital will have enough running water starting from the beginning of 2023, as several clean water facilities that are currently under construction are slated for completion around that time.

Dry season lasts from January to May each year, during which the amount of running water falls – causing the water supply to be delayed and, in some cases, completely lacking in areas to the west of Phnom Penh, such as in Kambol district.

Naro said the clean water supply in the capital had once reached 100 per cent, but it fell back into a shortage in recent years after the government transferred the responsibility of several communes in Kandal province to the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration, causing the availability of clean water to fall to just 85 per cent of all households.

The PPWSA has recently managed to increase the supply of clean water to 92 per cent of Phnom Penh’s 670sq km.

Having just returned from a workshop on clean water supply in the UK, Naro noted that there is a global water shortage that can be attributed to drought, and in the case of Phnom Penh.

“As we all know, we don’t see Cambodians complain about the lack of water during the rainy season, but when the dry season starts in January, we are not able to pump enough water from the river. Only after this period [ending in May] can we pump enough water,” he said.

PPWSA has managed to increase the water supply capacity from 592,000 cubic metres per day to 635,000, but it is still well below the daily requirement in 2020 and 2021 of 800,000 cubic metres as estimated in a study by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Naro pointed out the fact that Cambodians use “a lot of water – up to 200 to 280 litres per day on average, while the global average use is only around 150 litres per day.”

“During this dry season, PPWSA appeals to all residents to use water economically. We’ve already issued a writing appeal,” he said.

Another factor that has contributed to the shortage of clean water is population growth in the capital, he said, pointing to issues such as the water pipeline to Kambol district being too small relative to the size of its population. He said that works are ongoing to resolve this issue.

“In early February, we had some issue in Takhmao town and the west part of Phnom Penh, which we had partly solved. But Kambol district is still facing issues. In January, some residents there had voiced their concerns about the inadequate water supply,” he said.

Naro added that the government had reserved a plot of land in Kambol district’s Boeung Thom commune to construct a clean water treatment facility which has the potential to produce up to 5,000 cubic metres of clean water per day. When the facility is ready in early 2023, the chronic lack of water in the west of Phnom Penh might no longer be an issue, he said.

The PPWSA will sign an agreement on March 7 to construct another clean water treatment in Takhmao town with the assistance of a grant from the Japanese government. The facility is expected to produce about 3,000 cubic metres per day once it is in operation.

“We will have enough clean water for use then. In early 2024 at the latest, we guarantee that there will be no water issue in Phnom Penh anymore,” he said.

A total of $690 million has been spent on increasing the water supply capacity from 63,000 cubic metres per day in 1993 to 592,000 cubic metres in 2020, according to the PPWSA. Four water treatment facilities have been constructed to supply water to more than three million residents in the capital, including 2.28 million permanent residents and nearly one million provincial migrant workers.

Areas that still lack clean water are Kambol district, Takhmao town and the Prek Ho area, according to Leng Khieu, chairman of the Cambodian Water Supply Association (CWA).

“We have contacted water authorities to solve the problem. They told us that they were solving the issue, but we haven’t heard news about how far they have gone in solving it so far,” he told The Post on March 1.

Khieu urged the water authorities to fix the shortage as soon as possible because residents were in dire need for a constant supply of clean and safe water.

By: Voun Dara

Published : March 02, 2022

By : The Phnom Penh Post