Cambodia officially broke ground on the Funan Techo Canal at 9.09am this morning, with more than 10,000 people present at a ceremony presided by the Prime Minister, Hun Manet.
The PM said the project was in line with the vision of Cambodia's ancestors from 2000 years ago, during the Funan era. He noted that at that time there were several canals that served international trade, including exchanges with India.
"This project is a nationalistic endeavour," he said, highlighting the overwhelming support from people across the Kingdom.
The event included a major concert, the symbolic push of a button to start construction and fireworks launched from a ferry on the Mekong River.
At the same time, gongs were rung, drums were beaten and other festivities were held across the country. In Phnom Penh, Kandal and other provinces, large concerts and traditional events such as Kun Khmer performances will be held tonight to commemorate the groundbreaking.
The symbolic event at the canal's entrance on the Mekong River near the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh took place on August 5, the birthday of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, whose honorific "Techo" is reflected in the canal's name. Monday has also been declared a one-day holiday to highlight the project's historical significance to Cambodians. The name "Funan" refers to an ancient kingdom with sophisticated hydrology that flourished in the Mekong Delta from the first to sixth centuries and is believed to have been a precursor to the medieval Khmer Empire.
The 180-kilometre canal will connect the Mekong River at Prek Takeo village in Samrong Thom commune, Kien Svay district, Kandal province, to the sea at Kep. The $1.7 billion project is expected to be completed in four years.
The government has promoted the economic, logistical and agricultural benefits of the canal. But neighbouring Vietnam has raised concerns about potential transboundary impacts on its Mekong Delta and the potential use of the waterway by China, which was initially expected to be the main financier of the project. However, the Cambodian government has moved to secure additional local funding and recently announced that Cambodian companies now hold a 51% stake in the project.
The investment for the project is divided into two phases. The first phase, covering 21 kilometres, is being financed by local Cambodian companies, while the second phase (159 kilometres) is a joint venture between Cambodian companies (51 per cent) and the China Bridge and Road Corporation (CRBC) (49 per cent).
The canal will be 100 metres wide at the upstream end, 80 metres wide at the downstream end, and 5.4 metres deep. It will have two lanes, three locks and 11 bridges, and will be flanked by roads on both sides.
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