PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the Government of Cambodia to develop a National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) to help the country achieve its sustainable development goals.

The NESAP will prioritize policy tools and financing options to ensure that environmental protection and sustainable natural resource management are pillars of economic development. The plan was introduced to senior officials from 17 ministries, as well as development partners, at an ADB-supported workshop held in Phnom Penh on Monday.

“The NESAP is a strategy for all government ministries as well as the private sector, civil society, and development partners to integrate environmental concerns into economic policies and investments,” said Say Samal, Minister of Environment, in opening remarks at the start of the workshop. He added that all stakeholders would need to work closely together to achieve the NESAP aims.

The Ministry of Environment is coordinating the NESAP development process with technical and funding support from the ADB-led Greater Mekong Subregion Core Environment Program. The process will be overseen by a task force consisting of representatives from 10 key ministries.

“We are very pleased to be part of this initiative and will work closely with the Ministry of Environment and other government and civil society stakeholders to ensure that the NESAP is developed consultatively and provides a clear set of concrete actions and priorities,” said Pavit Ramachandran, Senior Environment Specialist, in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department.

The NESAP is expected to be finalized and then approved by the government in late 2016 and will complement a new Environmental Code—also in development—that will establish a legal framework and principles to ensure all laws relating to environment are effectively applied.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2014, ADB assistance totaled $22.9 billion, including cofinancing of $9.2 billion.