Cambodia Cooperates with Australia on Urban and Environmental Improvement Program

The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) of Cambodia held a meeting on September 15, 2026, with the Resilient Urban Centres and Surrounds (RUCaS) team from Australia to discuss the RUCaS 2 program, supported by the Australian Government (DFAT) through Water Sensitive Cities Australia, Monash University, and ICEM. Mr. Sok Buntha, Secretary of State of MoSVY, who led the delegation, stated that the RUCaS Phase 2 will focus on implementing locally led hybrid Nature-based Solutions (NbS) demonstration projects and integrating NbS into policies, guidelines, and implementation. The RUCaS implementation framework requires the integration of Gender Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles from the initial planning stages to ensure that women, people with disabilities, and vulnerable groups are not left behind. Key outcomes of the meeting included: 1. Continuing operational cooperation between the delegation (RUCaS) and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation to develop the implementation principles for the RUCaS 2 project. 2. Selecting one center among those under the ministry's management as a location for the RUCaS 2 project implementation. 3. Establishing a technical focal point between the relevant general directorates of MoSVY and the RUCaS team (WSCA/ICEM) to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding or a detailed action plan. The meeting was attended by Deputy Secretaries of State, the Director General of Social Affairs Policy, Deputy Director of the National Social Support Fund, Ms. Natasha Sertori, Senior Project Manager, WSCA at Monash University, Mr. Teak Seng, ICEM Cambodia Country Representative, Ms. Monireth Toy, ICEM Cambodia Administration and Operations Manager, and relevant department heads and experts. Source: AKP Khmer