Excellency Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister, Minister of Public Works and Transport
Excellency Chhoun Voun, Director General of the General Department of Land Transport
Esteemed private sector representatives, colleagues, friends of media,
Ladies, and gentlemen.

Today’s event reflects the commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia to the global climate agenda, but mostly to its people’s safety. It also highlights the leadership of H.E. Minister Sun Chanthol in promoting the decarbonization of the land transport sector which is a significant source of greenhouse emissions and airborne pollutants affecting people’s health in cities. The partnership with the private sector is crucial for accelerating change, promoting innovation and new technologies that will hopefully lead to the renewal of the national transport fleet, also reducing the risk of road accidents.

Electric Vehicles are taking the world by storm, a storm that is rapidly changing the transport sector. In 2020, according to the International Energy Agency, there was more than 10 million electric cars on the roads–43 percent increase compared to 2019. Quite notably, during a period when overall new car registrations fell because of the pandemic, global electric car sales share rose 70 percent to a record 4.6 percent of all car sales in 2020. The quick uptake of EV in both advanced and developing economies demonstrates the change in public awareness of the climate crisis and our vulnerability, and a commitment to make responsible decisions to lower emissions.

At the November 2021 COP26 summit in Glasgow, a group of governments and automakers signed an agreement to transition to 100 percent zero-emission sales of new cars and vans by 2040 globally and by 2035 in “leading markets”.  I am pleased to witness a large representation of automakers and private sector representatives today, ladies and gentlemen, you are the agents of change that will transform the market and enable Cambodia to reduce its emissions from vehicles.

The sector accounts for 46%, nearly half of Cambodia’s total energy consumption of petroleum products. The electrification of the transport sector is critical to meet Cambodia’s emission reduction goals as per Cambodia’s Nationally Determined Contribution and its Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality, particularly when coupled with cleaner energy in the grid.

UNDP is a long-time development partner of the Royal Government of Cambodia. We have been working with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport on the policy development and adoption of green solutions. Today, I am pleased to join His Excellency Senior Minister to also launch the first fast charging station for 4-wheeler EV. UNDP is installing DC fast charging stations in three other key cities and is currently working with the Ministry on the elaboration of a roadmap for the development of EV charging infrastructure.

We call on more development partners and the private sector to join efforts in supporting the Royal Government of Cambodia in achieving its Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality and reducing air pollution through developing required local workforce skills and expertise, sourcing sustainable energy for EVs charging, and building the needed EV infrastructure.

Thank You.