Cambodia Kicks Off a Capacity Building Program on Road Maintenance for CLV Countries
January 17, 2022
To promote sustainable infrastructure in the region, Cambodia’s Techo Sen Institute of Public Works and Transport (TSIPWT) formally launched the “Capacity Building for Road Maintenance Methodology to Promote Sustainable Infrastructure in CLV countries” program in a hybrid event on January 17, 2022. TSIPWT will be implementing an 18-month capacity building program for technicians, relevant government officials and staff, and other stakeholders in the construction sector in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam.
The training program is funded by the Mekong-Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF), through the fund management and coordination of the Mekong Institute (MI). MI was represented in the event by Mr. Madhurjya K. Dutta, MKCF coordinator and Director of Trade and Investment Facilitation Department, and Mr. Robby Rosandi, project manager.
Mr. Dutta, in his keynote address, underscored the issue on the increasing traffic volume in recent years due to the increase in trade and people-to-people connectivity, which requires improvement of road infrastructure as well as road maintenance. He stressed that “once the road is built, it is necessary for timely maintenance and monitoring. Maintaining the road is equally important as building the road.”
To challenge the program implementers, Mr. Dutta added that “there is a gap in capacity building of road maintenance in CLV and, hence, the project that we are launching today should be able to fill the gap.”
As a response, H.E. Hoeurn Somnieng, Director General of TSIPWT, emphasized that the road training program will be a sophisticated and unique initiative in Cambodia, featuring a well-structured curriculum to equip the target trainees from the three countries with specialized and updated skills on road maintenance. He strongly hoped that this program will contribute in developing a generation of experts who has the capacity to build quality roads, bridges, and public infrastructure and in promoting a more effective transport and logistics industry development in the region.
H.E. En Nithara, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT), stressed that this program provides an opportunity to strengthen the collaboration among the MPWT of Cambodia, the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam, and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Lao PDR. HE Nithara also shared that this program “will not only enhance the capacity of the trainees but will provide a platform for knowledge exchange and experiential learning.”
To elaborate more on the program, Mrs. Brasoeur Molyka, Director of Training Department of TSIPWT, said that the training curriculum will be using a variety of methodologies, such as virtual and physical trainings, seminars, site visits, actual practice on roads, and assignments and projects. She also hoped that, through the program, some long-term benefits will be achieved, such as an improved road maintenance management system, quality road infrastructure, increased social and economic gains, and stronger regional connectivity and multi-modal transport systems.