UK aid for Lower Mekong biodiversity project



Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

 

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon on Friday met with a delegation from the Biodiversity Protection Fund led by the British Ambassador to Cambodia Tina Redshaw and the Landscape Protection Biodiversity Fund’s President Robbie Celriog Hughes at the Ministry of Tourism.

 

Khon said that the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss development of the Lower Mekong ecotourism and to learn more about the challenges in the field of ecotourism and support policies, in particular to examine the possibility of promoting cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism on the application of support projects through the Biodiversity Protection Fund.


 



During the meeting, Minister Khon said that in the past, Cambodia has successfully organized ecotourism communities.




 

He added that the successful areas such as ecotourism sites in Chi Phath,  Areng and many other eco-tourism communities have turned villagers’ livelihoods from deforestation or hunting to preserving natural resources, forests, protecting wildlife, serve in the tourism sector and attract national and international tourists to visit.

 

In response, Tina Redshaw thanked Minister Khon for taking the time to allow the Biodiversity Protection Fund to participate in the work.

 

She said that the UK’s Biodiversity Protection Fund will provide more than $100 million to support the protection and development of six scenic spots around the world, including the Lower Mekong Biodiversity Scene of Cambodia.




 

Tourism Product Development Department Director Chuk Chumnor said that the BLF Foundation will give priority to the implementation of the Lower Mekong River Scenic Area Development Project in Cambodia from Kampong Cham, Kandal to Prey Veng, connecting southern Vietnam.

 

He added that however, the actual implementation of the project will be revealed this June.




Photo credit: Swift News

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