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ˇ@ NATURAL AND WATER RESOURCES
ˇ@ Although some laws and regulations concerning the natural resources have been drafted, the laws are seldom enacted yet.
* Oil:
Cambodian National Petroleum Authority under the direct management of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has been established since 1998. Its duty is to manage, oversee and provide the guideline and advice, and to coordinate the activities relevant to the petroleum exploration and development. The government currently implements the open tender system. Oil and Gas exploration rights are negotiated on case by case basis. Expended licensing of blocks of share exploration areas is being undertaken based on surveys to assess the availability of island fossil fuel deposits in the Mekong and Tonle Sap.
In 1997, the Cambodian Government has granted the conditional licenses to five companies to drill in four blocks in the gulf of Thailand subject to competing claims by Cambodia and Thailand. The right to drill was conditional on agreement between the two countries. The licensing regime embraces royalties and product-sharing contracts, which provide attraction terms for exploration and production projects.
In compliance with international standard, the government is preparing the new Mineral and Petroleum Laws.
* Mineral:
In the mineral sector, potential exists in respect of gold, gemstones (sappire and ruby) limestone, phosphate, graniteˇK etc. The government strongly encourages the foreign investors to invest in the mineral sector. Concessions are usually for a term of 20 to 50 years.
* Freshwater Resources:
Cambodia has the largest amount of freshwater resources in cubic meters per capita among the regional countries, except Loa. Cambodiaˇ¦s annual freshwater withdrawal is 0.1% of total resources, the lowest withdrawal rate in the region. This implies that abundant freshwater resources in Cambodia remains largely untouched compared those in other regional countries.
The large share of Cambodiaˇ¦s annual freshwater consumption is for agriculture, the lowest for industrial and domestic use. Furthermore, the Cambodian peopleˇ¦s access to safe water, both in rural and urban areas, is far behind other countries.
* Water Supply-Urban Water Systems:
In order to improve the water system, the government is looking for the financing for complete water supply system rehabilitation for towns in provinces. About 40% of the population of Phnom Penh and 50 % of Sihanoukville have access to piped potable water supplies. About 6.9 million people donˇ¦t have access to clean water, some of them (6.4 million) live in the rural areas. They must drink the rainwater and well-water.
With the eternal assistance, the government has been focusing its efforts on capital investments on the rehabilitation of sanitation and sewage systems in Phnom Penh to improve the living of people. The capital investment needs US$43 million over the next three years.
* Rural Water System:
Provisions of safe drink water in the rural area are very important to the people. About one-four (¼) of population, the water well with pumps will be needed, 39,000 new water points will be built in the rural area before 2000. Finance and Technique will be supplied by NGOs. Sectoral public investment needs the amount to US$16 million over the next three years.
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