Cambodia launches national roadmap to save lives with people-centred early warning systems
The roadmap, developed through collaboration among government ministries, UN agencies, and civil society, aligns with global Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) standards and Cambodia¡¯s Disaster Management Law. It is built on four key pillars: risk knowledge, observation & forecasting, warning dissemination & communication, and preparedness and response.
¡°This national roadmap gives Cambodia a clear pathway to strengthening coordination,¡± said H.E. Kitte Sangahakbandith Kun Kim, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the National Committee for Disaster Management. ¡°With leadership, partnership and sustained resources, we can ensure warnings become action and vulnerabilities become resilience.¡±
Endorsed by the Prime Minister in August, the roadmap sets a clear path to strengthen resilience against climate and disaster risks. It calls for better coordination, investment in early warning systems, and a people-first approach to preparedness.
¡°The successful implementation of the Early Warning for All roadmap, will depend on a strong, government led institutional mechanism that effectively mobilizes all relevant ministries and partners in the delivery of timely, reliable alerts to save lives and livelihoods,¡± said Jo Scheuer, United Nations Resident?Coordinator in Cambodia.
With nearly 80 percent of Cambodians living in rural, climate-sensitive locations and about 65 percent relying on agriculture, timely warnings for floods, droughts and storms are critical for food security. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ will work with the National Committee for Disaster Management to set up a multi-stakeholder coordination platform, bringing together government ministries and partners such as UNDP, FAO, IFAD, and the World Bank.
Financing the Roadmap
Despite a recent Green Climate Fund allocation of US?$103.2?million for regional early warning system, Cambodia still faces a shortfall of US$22.7 million, approximately 41 percent of the roadmap¡¯s estimated cost.
¡°The real work begins now,¡± said Kyungnan Park, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Representative in Cambodia. ¡°We need to move swiftly from roadmap to action, mobilising resources, linking early warnings to local response, and ensuring that every community is ready to act when it matters most.¡±
Immediate priorities include finalizing operational protocols, activating coordination platforms, establishing resources allocation plans, and stepping up last?mile communications to reach women, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities.
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The United Nations Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ is the world¡¯s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.
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Contact
Chou Chea, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ/ Cambodia, Mob. +855 78565283