Cambodia’s Capital city authorities along with the Interdepartmental Association for Sanitation in the Paris Region (SIAAP) and the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) – signed a joint letter of intent to extend their partnership and support the second phase of the capital’s septage management project.
The agreement follows the successful completion and launch of the first phase in 2023.
The signing ceremony was attended by Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng, AIMF Delegate General Frederic Vallier and SIAAP Director-General Valérie Molet.
The municipality’s Deputy Director of Administration and spokeswoman Dor Samphors said cooperation began in 2020 with support from the Seine-Normandy Water Agency (AESN).
The first phase resulted in the construction of the capital’s first septage treatment plant in Kambol district, alongside the development of institutional management structures and regulatory frameworks.
The facility was inaugurated in 2023.
The project’s final evaluation report in 2025 highlighted tangible achievements while identifying the need to further expand Phnom Penh’s septage treatment capacity in the years ahead, she noted.
Building on the results of the first phase and aligning with the municipal administration’s strategic plan through 2035, the second phase will involve constructing another treatment plant in Meanchey district and conducting a feasibility study in preparation for a possible third facility.
The estimated budget for the second phase is approximately €2.32 million (about $2.56 million), excluding in-kind contributions.
Funding is expected to come from the AIMF, AESN, SIAAP and the Phnom Penh Capital Administration.
The second phase is scheduled to begin after the technical working group completes detailed discussions on the cooperation agreement and participating parties formally sign it in the near future.
