H.E. Dr. Eang Sophalleth, Minister of Environment, has called for unified efforts to safeguard the natural resources for future generations.
H.E. Minister made the appeal in a recent meeting with the standing forces to crack down on illegal logging in the protected areas and inspect the reforestation areas in the wildlife sanctuary of Phnom Samkos in Pursat province, according to the ministry’s news release.
On the occasion, H.E. Dr. Eang Sophalleth expressed his gratitude to the coalition forces for their mission to prevent natural resource crimes, and emphasised the importance of this mission as an intervention involving forces of all working together to safeguard the natural resources for future generations to come.
H.E. Minister underscored the challenges faced by the Ministry of Environment, noting that there are only 1,200 rangers in total being tasked to manage over 7.2 million hectares of protected areas, which constitute about 40 percent of the total land territory.
To ensure effective managemen
t of natural resources, H.E. Minister Eang Sophalleth stressed the necessity of adhering strictly to the directive of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. He outlined four key measures, including enhancement of the full implementation of the law, ending of the practice of leniency towards perpetrators, and enhancement of collaboration with local authorities, the Royal Gendarmerie, and the Anti-Corruption Unit.
Additionally, he advocated for the promotion of reforestation and the planting of fruit trees to increase forest cover by more than 60 percent by 2050. The initiative aims not lonely to preserve natural resources but also to generate local economic benefits, aligning with the Circular Strategy on Environment and the Pentagonal Strategy, Phase I of the Royal Government of Cambodia.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse