HCMC – Vietnam respects Cambodia’s decision to carry out its Funan Techo Canal project but calls for a comprehensive joint assessment of its impacts, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Vietnam supports Cambodia’s development efforts and respects its decision to implement the Funan Techo Canal project,” said Deputy spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet at a news briefing in Hanoi today, August 8.
Viet emphasized the importance of the Mekong River, describing it as an invaluable asset that connects Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He called for cooperation among Mekong countries to manage and sustainably develop the river.
“Vietnam seeks joint research to evaluate the project’s impacts and to find suitable measures to mitigate adverse effects,” he added.
Cambodia broke ground on the Funan Techo Canal at a ceremony held in Kean Svay District, Kandal Province on August 5, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet presiding over the ceremony.
The 180-kilometer canal will link Phnom Penh to the Gulf of Thailand, passing through Kandal, Takeo, Kampot, and Kep provinces. The canal would be 100 meters wide upstream, 80 meters wide downstream, and 5.4 meters deep.
The US$1.7-billion project will be funded through domestic and foreign investment. It will be executed under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model and is expected to be completed in 48 months.
The canal’s starting point is in Prek Takeo village, Samrong Thom commune, about 35 kilometers from Phnom Penh.
Vietnam has expressed concerns about the potential impacts of the man-made canal on water resources and the ecological environment of the Mekong Delta.
In May, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said that Vietnam respects Cambodia’s interests while emphasizing the need for adherence to the 1995 Mekong Agreement and the regulations of the Mekong River Commission.
“We hope that Cambodia will continue to coordinate closely with Vietnam and other countries in the Mekong River Commission to share information, and thoroughly assess the project’s impacts on water sources, water resources, and the ecological environment of the Mekong sub-region, along with appropriate management measures to ensure the harmonization of interests of the riparian countries, and effective and sustainable management and utilization of Mekong water resources, for the sustainable development of the basin, the solidarity among the riparian countries, and the future of generations to come,” she said.
