Cambodia: Rural Roads Improvement Project II

Transport / Road transport (non-urban)

The overarching objective of ADB''s country partnership strategy, 2011-2013 for Cambodia is poverty reduction, in line with the government's socioeconomic development priorities. The strategy focuses on two strategic objectives: (i) inclusive economic growth through provision of physical infrastructure, as well as interventions in other development activities such as vocational training, agriculture, and finance sector development; and (ii) social development and equity. Rehabilitating and enhancing the climate resilience of rural roads under the project will improve the access of the rural poor to markets and social services, and is a core means of promoting inclusive economic growth and reducing poverty, as well as enhancing social development and equity. The strategy includes four road projects; all are consistent with the sector assistance program evaluation recommendation to shift the focus to rehabilitating provincial and rural roads, rather than national roads.

The government's national strategy for growth for 2013 2018 (Rectangular Strategy for Growth, Employment, Equity, and Efficiency, Phase III) emphasizes the need to develop

physical infrastructure with three core areas (agriculture sector promotion, private sector development and employment, and capacity building and human resource development).11 The project supports this strategy, particularly as it enhances connectivity, balanced economic development, and access to social services in the nine remote rural provinces.

1. Rural Road Improvements in nine provinces

3. Increased rural road safety and community awareness

4. Efficient project management

5. Enhanced Mekong River Island connectivity

2. Strengthened capacity for rural road asset management

1. Rural Road Improvements in nine Provinces - Out of 22 civil works contracts, one CW12 is not yet awarded. Construction to the awarded works are ongoing.

2. Strengthened capacity for rural road asset management - Consultant for CS2 has been mobilized on 29 December 2017 and are now in process of assessing existing situation on the following: (i) existing institutional and organizational; (ii) existing engineering practices; (iii) existing rural road asset management system and GIS; (iv) private sector and BEC; (v) axle load control issues; (vi) Training assessment; and (vii) legal issues.

3. Increased rural road safety and community awareness - Activities under this component is ongoing. This program will mainly focus on the promotion of safe speed, correct helmet use, cyclist and pedestrian safety, traffic rules and first aid, involving children and local community. Activities under this component consist of beneficiary education of pre-construction and ongoing civil works, data collection and analysis, safe school zone and implementation, community-based social enforcement and road safety engineering.

4. Efficient project management - MRD continues to implement the project and overall supervision.

5. Enhanced Mekong River Island connectivity - ADB approved civil works contract for CW8, to improve 5 Mekong River Island roads, 50.0 km and 11 Jetties (Kampong Cham and Tbong Khmum Provinces) on 8 December 2016, and construction will be completed by end of 2018.

HIV/AIDs and Human Trafficking Awareness Program, cumulative achievements from May 2016 to July 2018, a total of 216 women as members of commune and district AIDS committees have been trained. A total of 5,429 construction workers, with 734 are women have been trained and raised awareness at the project sites.

The first road safety campaign was organized on 6-9 February 2018. The consultant is working closely with SEO and PDRD to undertake effective community education and awareness on road safety. Activities will continue until 2019.