World Bank Provides Cambodia with $169 Million for Disaster Risk Management
According to an official statement released yesterday, the World Bank has approved $169 million in financing for Cambodia to boost its disaster risk management.
According to reports, the project will help rebuild roads and bridges in flood-affected areas and increase the government's ability to respond to climatic disasters. It will benefit 5.5 million residents in seven provinces, 52 per cent of whom are women, and anyone who uses the highways.
The project will also train government employees in disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, and post-disaster needs assessment, primarily at the Ministry of Rural Development.
According to the World Bank's country manager for Cambodia, Maryam Salim, the country's rural infrastructure is sensitive to severe climate change impacts, including floods and droughts, and the country's rural infrastructure is highly vulnerable to climate disaster risks.
"This project will help ensure that rural infrastructure remains robust and resilient to climate change and that a vulnerable population will be protected against disaster shocks," she said.
According to Salim, roads are vital to the day-to-day lives of rural communities, and damage to crucial road segments can jeopardise rural households' livelihoods and limit access to fundamental amenities like markets, schools, and hospitals.
Extensive flooding in 2020 highlighted Cambodia's need for continuous investment in disaster risk management and the vulnerability of vital infrastructure.
Source: The World Bank
