Cambodia’s Mekong River Canal Project: A Bold Move

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet launched a controversial US$1.7 billion canal project on Monday, aiming to connect the Mekong River to the sea. The launch event was held in Prek Takeo, southeast of Phnom Penh. PM Manet described the 180-km Funan Techo canal as “historic” amidst fireworks and drum sounds. “We must build this canal at all costs,” he declared.

The Funan Techo canal will stretch from a spot on the Mekong River, about an hour’s drive southeast of Phnom Penh, to the Gulf of Thailand. However, uncertainty surrounds the project’s primary purpose, funding, and its impact on the river’s flow. The Mekong is one of the world’s longest rivers. It supports up to a quarter of the world’s freshwater fish catch and half of Vietnam’s rice production. Conservationists have warned of risks from infrastructure projects, pollution, sand mining, and climate change.

Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand are signatories to the 1995 Mekong River Agreement. The agreement governs the distribution of the river’s resources. Cambodia has notified the Mekong River Commission (MRC) of its plans for the canal, but Vietnam seeks more information. Phnom Penh argues that the project affects only a Mekong tributary and requires only the notification it has already submitted.

Cambodia’s Mekong River Canal Project is former PM’s brainchild

The canal is a signature infrastructure project of Hun Sen, the former prime minister. Furthermore, the aim of the project is to build support for his successor and son, Hun Manet.

Hun Sen, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, described the canal as giving the country a “nose to breathe through.”

The government claims the project will offer an alternative for container ships that currently cross into Vietnam before heading to the sea. This will allow Cambodia to retain transport revenue. Additionally, Mekong riverside economic zones along the route could create tens of thousands of jobs in Cambodia.

Last year, the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), a Chinese construction giant, agreed to a feasibility study of the project. Cambodian officials have suggested that CRBC could finance part of the canal. However, the company has not released its study or made any public commitment. While Cambodia is a close ally of Beijing, Hun Sen has denied the canal will be part of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure plan.

In summary, the Funan Techo canal represents a bold and contentious move to enhance Cambodia’s infrastructure and economic independence, while facing significant environmental and political challenges.