According to transport experts and economists, the Government’s upcoming $50 billion, 10-year infrastructure master plan will give huge investment opportunities for domestic and foreign firms.
H.E Sun Chanthol, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, revealed the plan to Masahiro Mikami, the Japanese ambassador to Cambodia, on June 15.
Chanthol said at the meeting that the government was working on a master plan to improve and expand road infrastructure and connect main highways – particularly international border checkpoints – in order to boost Cambodia’s competitiveness, attract foreign investment, lower logistics and transportation costs, and avoid delays.
According to him, the plan will include approximately 330 projects, including road construction, renovations, widening, and other upgrades; connectivity improvements to speed up travel and freight transport; and supporting infrastructure at international border checkpoints.
The transport minister says that his ministry has made significant progress on major projects such as Phase I of a new container terminal with a depth of 14.5m at the Sihanoukville port, which is expected to be completed in 2025, and Port EDI, an electronic data exchange system for ports designed to speed up vessel entry-exit procedures.
Other projects include the expansion and upgrading of national roads 5 and 7, railway modernisation, waterway transport improvements, including a link from the capital to the Kep coastal port via the Tonle Bassac river, and the construction of a bridge across the Mekong River in Kratie province, as well as a road connecting Battambang and Kampong Thom provinces.
This $50 billion transportation and logistics master plan is well worth it for Cambodia to get a competitive edge in logistics.
Source: The Phnom Penh Post
