One Saturday night in 2021, I received an urgent call from a hospital doctor in Vava’u, Tonga. A pregnant mother who had undergone two previous caesarean sections was in labour and needed an emergency procedure to prevent uterine rupture. Her last procedure had been just a year ago and she weighed 180 kilogrammes, making the procedure highly risky. Given the difficulty of arranging a medical evacuation for her to Tongatapu − the main island with comprehensive emergency obstetric services − I immediately cancelled my plans so I could rush to the hospital to support the medical team. Upon arriving, I…
Author: post staff
Cambodia’s economic landscape has undergone significant changes, with Sihanoukville emerging as a key city for logistics investment and infrastructure development. Thanks to its strategic location and government-backed initiatives, the city has positioned itself as a regional trade hub. However, the prospect of Sihanoukville evolving into a financial centre, particularly as a forex trading hub, remains highly questionable. Unlike established financial powerhouses such as Singapore and Hong Kong, Sihanoukville faces several challenges, including a lack of financial market depth, weak regulatory frameworks and limited liquidity pools, all of which are essential to sustaining a robust forex trading ecosystem. This commentary critically…
Cambodian government officials, employers and workers’ representatives have gained practical skills to design policies that will respond to Cambodia’s evolving labour market challenges, partly thanks to a five-day training course taking place from May 5-9. The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are holding the joint five-day session to provide participants with practical skills in evidence-based policy design to address key labour-market challenges. Some 38 participants were trained to use evidence and data to develop inclusive and effective labour policies, addressing issues such as informality, fair wages and access to social protection, explained a…
The Dauntri Dam Development Project, which aims to supply irrigation water to communes in Battambang and Pursat province, is on track for completion this October. The project, which began construction in June 2018, was funded through a grant from the South Korean government. At present, the project is approximately 97 per cent complete. Once completed, the dam will be capable of storing 163.1 million cubic metres of water, enough to irrigate about 33,000 hectares during the rainy season and 4,500 hectares during the dry season, in 11 communes. They include communes in Moung Ruessei and Rukhak Kiri districts of Battambang…
Most forest communities serve as a frontline defence for protecting natural resources by helping prevent crimes and reducing total dependence on forest resources through the development of alternative livelihoods. However, some community members are acting contrary to this mission and are now facing legal consequences. On May 7, the Ministry of Environment revealed that some communities in protected natural areas have been illegally exploiting the forest resources under their management. This includes the sale, rental, clearing, encroachment and illegal logging of forests for purposes other than conservation. Such actions, the ministry warned, “lead to the loss of forest cover and…
Countries in Asia and the Pacific are economically intertwined through trade and investment, yet the roads, railways, ports and airports that move people and goods lag far behind what the region needs. About 1.8 billion people — four in every ten residents — lack reliable transport links. By comparison, 570 million have no electricity and 680 million people lack access to safe water, but transport remains the bigger brake on growth because it underpins every other service. The scale of the shortfall is stark. Low‑income and lower‑middle‑income economies in the region have fewer than four kilometres of transport infrastructure for…
Another company has been identified by the Ministry of Environment as discharging contaminated wastewater into a public waterway, bringing the total to 29 since 2024. Zhongbao (Cambodia) Food Science & Technology Co., Ltd, a mango processing factory located in Kampong Speu province’s Veal Thom village of Yay Mao Pich Nil commune, in Phnom Sruoch district, was determined to have released polluted wastewater into the O’Chaut stream, contaminating up to approximately 7 kilometres downstream from the factory, to the O’Koun Troum reservoir. The pollution was detected on May 7, following a tip-off by local residents. “The company has been discharging wastewater…
Fish yields in Pursat province have increased by approximately 26 per cent over the past five years, thanks to collaborative efforts among local and national authorities, communities, and numerous partner organisations. Deputy provincial governor Lim Soktou shared the positive results with representatives of the EU and UN Food and Agriculture Organization, as they accompanied a media inspection tour of the implementation of the EU-funded CAPFISH-Capture programme. The delegation visited the Srey Chek fishing community in Kandieng district and the Kampong Prak community in Krakor district last week, as part of a three-day Earth Day celebration led by the Ministry of…
The Russian ambassador to Cambodia has claimed that Russia is making every effort to ensure that all countries in the world can live in peace. He emphasised the importance of standing shoulder to shoulder with other peace-loving nations to prevent any repeat of the devastation seen during World War II. Anatoly Borovik issued the statement on the morning of Wednesday, May 7, at the Russian embassy in Phnom Penh, during the commemoration of the “Immortal Regiment” march — a ceremony held to honour the memory of patriotic heroes of World War II. This event has become a significant tradition, especially…
A $20 million ASEAN–Korea Cooperation Project on Methane Mitigation (AKCMM) has officially been launched. The project aims to help the region tackle methane emissions — one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. The May 6 inauguration ceremony was hosted by the Ministry of Environment and presided over by environment minister Eang Sophalleth. In attendance were senior officials from the ministry, Cambodia’s technical working group on climate change, the Korean embassy in Cambodia and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) office in Cambodia, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The AKCMM project, a…