WB approves 100 mln USD credit for Cambodia's road connectivity improvement project
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17

PHNOM PENH, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved a 100-million-U.S. dollar credit for Cambodia's road connectivity improvement project, according to its press statement on Friday.

The project will enhance rural communities' access to critical services, such as health centers, referral hospitals, schools and markets, through the improvement of climate-resilient rural roads, the statement said.

By improving selected sections of national and provincial roads, it will also reduce transportation costs and road disruption risks, helping to facilitate agriculture supply chains and tourism development, it added.

Despite significant improvements of past years, transportation costs remain high in Cambodia, the statement said. Roads are the predominant transportation mode for the country, and investments are needed, particularly in rural areas.

Rural roads account for more than 75 percent of the road network, yet only 5 percent are paved, it said, adding that with a changing climate, heavy rainfalls and flooding pose an increasing risk of disruptions for road connectivity.

The statement said rural accessibility analysis conducted as part of the project preparation indicates that during floods, more than 26 percent of the population in the project area face risks of losing access to emergency health facilities and schools and another 18 percent would have to spend 30 minutes more in travel time to reach hospitals, even in a life-or-death situation.
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World Bank news release on the topic: