… Today I have a great pleasure of joining with all of our people, especially with HE Ambassador Gotaro Ogawa of Japan and HE Chairman Tsutomu Makino of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan for the demonstration of a research project on renewable energy that never exists in the Cambodian history. The event today coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian-Japanese friendly relations. I am very happy to notice that what we had discussed and decided to implement has in fact taking real shape and HE Minister Suy Sem of Industry said by late 2003, the project will be put into test in providing sources of energy with a vision to fully operate in 2004. First of all 1157 households in the communes of Boeung Nay and Kroch will benefit from the project and also we will provide lighting system to some public places in the area as well. We in fact have gone through four stages already.
… First, in 2000, we have conducted a research in order to charge solar energy into a battery in the Chiso Mountain and we were able to attain 1440 vats that provide electric supply of one electric bulb each to 42 households. Second, in 2001, we went into cooperation with NEDO to provide another 42 households in Takeo using technique of drawing energy from sun and wind combined. Third, when I went to Japan for the consultative group meeting on Cambodia in June 2001, I conducted a visit to Oita province of Japan, where I discovered what they called “one village, one product.” I met with HE Suy Sem and Doctor Sat Sami who were there conducting a study tour on the issue of solar energy. I proposed to them to look into a system that is providing us energy and also friendly to the environment. Fourth, on July 31, 2002, HE Makino came to Phnom Penh and proposed to me to visit Toeuk Chha and I granted him a visit right away. Maybe I should also mention that after I returned from Tokyo I set up a working team on issue of Cambodia-Japan cooperation on renewable energy development.
… One year after, we have this project started here in Toeuk Chha where we could generate 108 KVA from small-scale hydro power and solar energy. Another project near to the cow farm of the Mong Ritthi Group in Veal Rinh of Sihanoukville, the project aims to generate 110 KVA electric from biogas and solar energy combined. In other instances, we also have applied solar energy to provide electric in many of the bridges that we have built so far. In Chiso we have energy generated from combined sources of sun and wind, in Toeuk Chha we have energy generated from a combined sources of sun and water, in the district of Veal Rinh of Sihanoukville we have energy generated from a combined sources of biogas and sun. May I have the attention of HE Chairman of NEDO that Cambodia is appreciating its efforts and considerations on environment and I have two incidents to share with you on this occasion. In 1991 there was an attempt to build an electric power plant fuelled by wastes in Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) of Cambodia and I gave them no permission to do so because I have doubts about how dangerous it could be to the environment and people. In between 1994-1995 there was a new attempt to propose similar sort of power plant and I also rebuked it.
… We may have gained and saved some money but the cost we are paying for it is far too immense – our environment is depleted, our children could be born with distorted figure or physical structures – but I have offered my full support to the project proposed to me by NEDO. As for this project we would generate power from the water current that is giving our people irrigation sources and solar energy that is available for free in our country. According to the project we have conducted so far, we may replicate some of our positive findings for provision of power in other places of our country. We could foresee making use of all sorts of energy sources that are available in Cambodia – hydro, solar, biogas, wind and any of them combined. It is worth mentioned about the good that NEDO has been doing for Cambodia and I also take this time to mention that Japan has been Cambodia’s biggest donor and she has played an important role in finding peace and resolving all conflicts in Cambodia. Not only the Government but also non-governmental organizations and generous fellows of Japan have been providing Cambodia with assistances in the forms of school buildings, water wells, roads, as well as new industrial technology and energy that we are making use of today in Toeuk Chha. I wish to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude on my people’s behalf through HE Ambassador Gotaro Ogawa to the Government and people of Japan.
… In the history of our country, the Kizuna Bridge has been the magnificent achievement in the relations between Cambodia and Japan and on June 20, I will accompany HE Ambassador of Japan to inaugurate a part of the national road 7, between the bridge of Kizuna and Thnol Totoeung of Kompong Cham, where we will have another large and beautiful bridge of Moatkhmung to inaugurate as well. Japan has many roles and obligations to play, not only in Cambodia but in many countries in the world where rehabilitation is a priority. We will have in weeks to come many programs with the Japanese donations and I am glad to have listed all these in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Cambodian-Japanese relations. These will bolster all forms of relations between our two countries… Once again I with to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to HE Ambassador Gotaro Ogawa and HE Maniko for their presence on this occasion…
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