Cambodia

not refer directly to ASEAN as it predates AADMER’s entry into force in 2009.168

2006 Disaster Management Order

The DMO was established in 2006; it provides for effective disaster management for Brunei. It tasked the NDC with developing a strategic policy framework for responding to and managing disasters. The supervising authority of this order is the NDMC.169

Cambodia joined ASEAN in 1999.170 Cambodia will chair ASEAN for the third time from November 2022, and the 2022 ASEAN-U.S. Summit will be held in Cambodia.171 Cambodia supports the following key priorities as the Chair of ASEAN in 2022:172 • Priority 1 - Political and Security Pillar:

Strengthening ASEAN Centrality and

ASEAN Unity for promoting regional mechanisms and external partners’ cooperation, based on the ASEAN Way and Principles stipulated in the ASEAN

Charter, Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. ASEAN must be resilient and strong against the pressure and influence stemming from rising geo-political competition, transnational crime, terrorism, climate change, and infectious diseases to ensure our way forward in peace, security, and prosperity. • Priority 2 - Economic Pillar: Promoting effective implementation of all initiatives and measures agreed and leveraging trade agreements to expedite the recovery of economic growth during COVID-19 and to ensure that ASEAN remains an attractive and dynamic hub for trade and investment by enhancing physical and digital connectivity; strengthening the capacity of micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises; promoting entrepreneurship amongst women and youth and other priorities aimed at narrowing development gaps and advancing regional integration. • Priority 3 - Socio-Cultural Pillar:

Strengthening the development of human resources to respond to needs on the ground for community building, to promote the participation of women and youth in building and maintaining peace, and to develop an inclusive social protection system; strengthening people-to-people bonds to enhance “One ASEAN.”

Disaster Risk

Cambodia experiences floods, regular drought, damaging storms, and typhoons. Flooding is a major hazard that threatens the country and has caused enormous numbers of deaths and amounts of destruction. Climate change and urban development have caused increases in destructive flooding for the country.173 In addition, several localized and national hazards are influenced by the Mekong River that enters the country from Laos. Water levels in the Mekong River and Great Tonlé Sap Lake in central Cambodia impact the extent of flooding.174 When faced with drought, the country tends to experience severe impacts as rural populations rely on subsistence agriculture. Lack of rainfall, excessive upstream damming, and mismanagement of the Mekong River have caused water levels and fishery yields to reach very low levels, resulting in serious effects on the country. A 2020 Mekong River Commission study indicated that ongoing drought along the Mekong River has been linked to Chinese water management policy. Eleven mega-dams are located along the upper Mekong River. China’s portion of the Mekong received high to average levels of rain, yet its dams blocked or restricted water to downstream countries.175 This left many without access to fresh water and affected food security as Cambodian fishing communities alongside the Tonlé Sap Lake, where Cambodians catch up to 70% of their protein intake, reported fish catches that were 80-90% lower than normal. The lack of water in the Mekong system caused 17 provinces across the Mekong Basin to declare emergency drought conditions. As a result, there was also a major drop in rice production in the region.176