Remarks by Ms. Laura Cizmo, Acting Office Director, Sustainable Economic Growth Office, USAID/Cambodia, Close Out Event for the USAID Keo Seima Conservation Project

(as prepared for delivery)

It is my pleasure to join you all today to commemorate the completion of the USAID Keo Seima Conservation Project, a successful three-year collaboration between USAID, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the communities around the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, the Ministry of Environment, local authorities, and other development partners. 

All year long, the U.S. Embassy is celebrating US-Cambodia relations and during the current quarter we are focusing on the theme of peace and security. Protecting Cambodia’s incredible natural resources is a shared priority and one that speaks directly to these themes.

As we all know, Cambodia’s forests, including the evergreen forests of Keo Seima, are important assets that underpin sustainable economic growth, preservation of the country’s unique biological and cultural heritage, and the livelihoods of the people who live in and around these forests. Though there are certainly many challenges facing the sustainable management of Cambodia’s natural resources, their value to economic growth in rural areas and to broader national development goals justify our concerted efforts to preserve and protect them. 

In support of those efforts, USAID has implemented environmental programs over the past ten years in many areas of Cambodia, including in Keo Seima. Through this project, USAID contributed to avoiding more than 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions that have helped Cambodia meet its national greenhouse gas emission reduction goals while also generating revenues from the sale of carbon credits.  Through these sales this project is becoming self-sustaining and able to meet operational costs while providing financial returns to local communities, which they can use to transform their lives.

We are proud of the contributions we have made to biodiversity conservation, low emissions development, community livelihoods, and improved governance in this innovative initiative. Through this project, nearly 300,000 hectares of biodiverse, carbon-rich forests have been protected in Keo Seima. Our support also has fostered environmentally friendly enterprises that are providing jobs and incomes to local communities through the sustainable use of natural resources. In addition, the project has improved community-based management and governance of natural resources including through the creation of five new community protected areas (CPAs), with the aim of enhancing the participation and ownership of local communities in the management, protection, and sustainable use of natural resources in and around Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary. 

USAID looks forward to supporting other projects such as this one in the future to continuously improve our development approaches and produce ever more positive results for both the environment and people of Cambodia.

I would like to conclude my remarks by thanking the Minister of Environment, His Excellency Dr. Say Sam Al, His Excellency Sao Sopheap, provincial and local authorities, WCS, the local communities of Keo Seima, and our other partners for this collaborative effort. This partnership has allowed us to transform our common vision into a model, perhaps THE model, for successful carbon credit programs in Cambodia. 

I believe that our partners are ready to take the next steps needed to increase the revenue streams derived from conserving the forests and wildlife of Keo Seima and using that revenue to empower the people who sustainably manage these natural resources. Having built this strong foundation of trust and cooperation, I think that we can look forward to even greater successes in Keo Seima in the years to come.

Thank you very much.