PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has reviewed the Comprehensive Intermodal Comprehensive Master Plan (CIT-MP) for the next ten years, stressing that some US$36.6 billion is needed for building prioritized infrastructure projects.

An Inter-ministerial meeting on reviewing the CIT-MP was held here on Feb. 20 under the chairmanship of H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice President of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, with the participation of ministers and technical officials from relevant ministries and institutions as well as representatives of the private sector.

As per the CIT-MP, 94 projects are related to road infrastructure, 8 to railway projects, 23 to river transport projects, 20 to maritime transport projects, 10 to air transport projects, 15 to logistics projects, and 4 other projects.

The Royal Government of Cambodia is seeking financial support for public investment projects through a public-private partnership mechanism, as well as foreign funding sources, H.E. Sun Chanthol said.

“For the 174 projects to go as planned, we must promote our master plan widely around the world. If the private sector is interested in any project, they can cooperate with Cambodia to build or develop these prioritized projects,” he added.

The US$1.7 billion Funan Techo Canal project, which will be broken ground for construction at the end of 2024, is among the 174 projects.

Funan Techo Canal is the first historic project in Cambodia's waterway transport sector to connect the Mekong River system and the sea.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the US$60-million concrete bridge across the Bassac River in Phnom Penh on Feb. 19, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, urged Chinese investors to explore investment opportunities in infrastructure in Cambodia, as the country prioritizes physical infrastructure construction in its socio-economic development.

“I would like to invite Chinese investors to place firm trust in the Cambodian government and continue to invest in mega transport infrastructure in Cambodia,” Samdech Thipadei underlined.