Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, First Vice President of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, inspected the preparations for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Prek Chik Funan Techo canal project on July 14, 2024. Scheduled for August 5, 2024, the ceremony will take place in Prek Takeo village, Kien Svay district, Kandal province. The project, which aims to connect the Mekong River tributary system to the sea, spans approximately 180 kilometers and will be developed under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model.

Key details of the project include a canal width of 100 meters and a depth of 5.4 meters, with construction expected to begin by the end of 2024 and complete in four years. The project is set to benefit an estimated 1.6 million residents along the canal, reducing shipping distances and costs, establishing commercial zones, and developing ports. It will also enhance agricultural, irrigation, aquaculture, and animal husbandry activities, support the growth of Cambodia’s fourth economic pole, and promote urbanization and real estate development.

The canal project is anticipated to create additional jobs at major ports such as Sihanoukville Autonomous Port and Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, further contributing to Cambodia's economic growth and infrastructure development.

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