(Phnom Penh): Lao Ambassador to Cambodia Sonexay Vannaxay commended Cambodia's achievements in environmental protection, praising the kingdom's recognition as the world's top-ranked country for natural environmental quality in 2026.
The ambassador made the remarks during a meeting with Cambodian Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth on Thursday (Jun. 25) at the Ministry of Environment.
Sonexay Vannaxay said Cambodia's achievement reflects its strong commitment to environmental protection, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. He noted that, as neighbouring countries, Cambodia and Laos share a common responsibility to protect natural resources and the environment.
He also expressed Laos' interest in learning from Cambodia's experience and pledged to strengthen cooperation between the two countries' environment ministries, particularly in environmental management and natural resource conservation.
Minister Eang Sophalleth said Cambodia is implementing its Environmental Sector Strategy, which includes stricter enforcement against natural resource crimes, strengthened environmental governance, and nationwide campaigns to combat pollution while protecting air, land, and water quality.
He added that Cambodia is expanding large-scale tree-planting initiatives to increase forest cover and advance its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
On the occasion, the minister also highlighted the Royal Government's policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet to link natural resource conservation with local economic development. He said the approach promotes sustainable livelihoods by developing green tourism destinations that generate income for local communities while preserving the environment.
Eang Sophalleth reaffirmed Cambodia's readiness to share its experience with Laos in integrating environmental conservation with economic development and expressed support for expanding bilateral cooperation to address global environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution control, and plastic waste management.
He also thanked the Lao ambassador for recognizing Cambodia's environmental achievements, saying the country's top global ranking reflects its balanced approach to conservation and development, effective natural resource management, clean air preservation, and commitment to sustainable development.
=FRESH NEWS
