Cambodian government gives green light to controversial canal project
In Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Manet has kicked off a controversial canal project that aims to connect the Mekong River with the sea. At an inauguration ceremony in Prek Takeo, south of the capital Phnom Penh, Manet described the 180-kilometer-long Funan-Techo Canal as "historic," accompanied by fireworks and drum beats.
"We must build this canal at any cost," said the prime minister as he launched the ambitious infrastructure project to applause. The canal, estimated to cost around 1.6 billion euros, is expected to be completed by 2028. It will connect Phnom Penh with key ports in the Gulf of Thailand.
Currently, about a third of Mekong freight coming to and from Cambodia is handled through Vietnamese ports. Authorities hope to reduce this to around ten percent upon completion of the canal. However, questions have been raised about whether this ambitious goal can be achieved, given the limited capacity of the waterway, which is 100 meters wide and 5.40 meters deep.
Other uncertainties include financing and potential impacts on Mekong's flow. Environmentalists warn that infrastructure projects, pollution, sand mining, and climate change pose threats to the river, which is also vital for Vietnam. The Mekong, at 4,350 kilometers, is Southeast Asia's longest river, supporting over a thousand fish species – up to a quarter of global freshwater fish catches come from it. Additionally, the river's water is the lifeblood for about half of Vietnam's crucial rice production.
The following inauguration ceremony marked the start of Prime Minister Manet's controversial canal project. Subsequently, concerns about the canal's environmental impact and financing have arisen.
