The Japanese government on Thursday provided a 300 million yen ($2.7 million) grant to commence the Project for the Development of the Base for Disaster Prevention for Improving Living Environment in Cambodia, which aims to minimise the effects of natural disasters.

The project will enhance risk reduction mechanisms through improving access to safe evacuation sites and life-saving information, with the Kingdom ranked among the most climate-vulnerable countries on the planet.

The grant will allow the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and partners, particularly the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), to mitigate the effects of natural disasters, the WFP said.

“We, on behalf of the government, have received humanitarian assistance from the Japanese government through the WFP and will effectively handle each target and support people affected,” Nhim Vanda, the first vice-president of the NCDM, said at Thursday’s signing ceremony.

Japanese Ambassador Horinouchi Hidehisa said: “WFP will mitigate the impact on local communities in flood-prone areas by enhancing risk reduction mechanisms and improving access to safe evacuation sites and life-saving information.

“The grant will contribute to preventing climate change and mitigating its impacts, which are essential for sustainable development and economic growth.”

Vanda, a senior minister, added that Cambodia had been hit by climate change-driven natural disasters last year, leading to evacuation sites facing difficulties and roads needing to be repaired.

Cambodia is considered at high risk of natural disasters and highly impacted by climate change, WFP country director Francesca Erdelmann said at the ceremony.

“Together we will build and improve infrastructure, such as safe evacuation sites, in flood-prone provinces to protect lives and livelihoods during disasters and strengthen the capacity of local government and communities to prepare for floods,” she said.

The project, implemented by WFP with collaboration from the NCDM, will last one year.