Phnom Penh (FN), Apr. 18 – Sun Chanthol, First Vice President of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and Chairman of the Sub-committee to Prepare and Negotiate the Public-Private Partnership Agreement for the Funan Techo Canal Project, presided over and signed five key agreements and contracts related to the Funan Techo Canal Project on 17 April 2025. The signing was conducted alongside Wang Tong Zhou, Chairman of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).
The ceremony was also attended by the minister of Public Works and Transport, who serves as the permanent deputy chairman of the Sub-committee, as well as other Sub-committee members, senior officials from CRBC and CCCC, and various other stakeholders.
The five agreements and contracts signed during the ceremony include:
1. A Public-Private Partnership
2. Agreement signed by Sun Chanthol, representing the Royal Government of Cambodia, and Ieng Sunly, representing Funan Techo Inland Waterway Co., Ltd.
3. A Shareholders’ Agreement
4. An Investment Agreement
5. An Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Agreement
An Operation and Maintenance Agreement
The Funan Techo Canal Project is a strategic initiative implemented under the key consensus reached between the leaders of Cambodia and China. It represents a significant step forward in bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and the Diamond Hexagon Cooperation Framework. The project aims to strengthen the Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era and is expected to make a substantial contribution to various sectors that directly impact the livelihoods of the Cambodian people.
Spanning 174 kilometres, the canal is designed to link Cambodia’s inland waterways to the sea. The route will run from the Takeo Canal of the Mekong River, through the Ta Ek Canal of the Bassac River, then along the Ta Hing Canal in Koh Thom District, and ultimately reach the sea in Kep Province. The waterway will pass through four provinces including Kandal, Takeo, Kampot, and Kep and will be capable of accommodating vessels of up to 3,000 DWT.
The infrastructure components of the project include river rehabilitation, canal dredging, construction of a hydrological station, riverbank protection dams, slipways, and other supporting maritime infrastructure. This work will form a comprehensive domestic waterway network, fill gaps in Cambodia’s current inland waterway system, and significantly improve water transport safety and connectivity.
Beyond its transportation benefits, the project incorporates forward-looking elements of water resources management, including irrigation and agricultural development. It is expected to boost agricultural productivity along the canal and strengthen integration between Cambodia’s key sectors including industry, agriculture, logistics, and the port sector, with regional and global markets.
Once completed, the Funan Techo Canal is expected to modernise Cambodia’s transport infrastructure, facilitate more efficient and sustainable trade, and enhance regional connectivity and economic resilience.
=FRESH NEWS
