The roadmap, developed through collaboration among government ministries, UN agencies, and civil society, aligns with global Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) standards and Cambodia's Disaster Management Law. It is built on four key pillars: risk knowledge, observation & forecasting, warning dissemination & communication, and preparedness and response.
"This national roadmap gives Cambodia a clear pathway to strengthening coordination," said H.E. Kitte Sangahakbandith Kun Kim, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the National Committee for Disaster Management. "With leadership, partnership and sustained resources, we can ensure warnings become action and vulnerabilities become resilience."
Endorsed by the Prime Minister in August, the roadmap sets a clear path to strengthen resilience against climate and disaster risks. It calls for better coordination, investment in early warning systems, and a people-first approach to preparedness.
"The successful implementation of the Early Warning for All roadmap, will depend on a strong, government led institutional mechanism that effectively mobilizes all relevant ministries and partners in the delivery of timely, reliable alerts to save lives and livelihoods," said Jo Scheuer, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cambodia.
With nearly 80 percent of Cambodians living in rural, climate-sensitive locations and about 65 percent relying on agriculture, timely warnings for floods, droughts and storms are critical for food security. WFP will work with the National Committee for Disaster Management to set up a multi-stakeholder coordination platform, bringing together government ministries and partners such as UNDP, FAO, IFAD, and the World Bank.
Financing the Roadmap
Despite a recent Green Climate Fund allocation of US $103.2 million for regional early warning system, Cambodia still faces a shortfall of US$22.7 million, approximately 41 percent of the roadmap's estimated cost.
"The real work begins now," said Kyungnan Park, WFP Representative in Cambodia. "We need to move swiftly from roadmap to action, mobilising resources, linking early warnings to local response, and ensuring that every community is ready to act when it matters most."
Immediate priorities include finalizing operational protocols, activating coordination platforms, establishing resources allocation plans, and stepping up last‑mile communications to reach women, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities.
