Phnom Penh, 05 December 2019 - The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) with Grab, through the Sustainable Urban Mobility for All Initiative (SUMAI or សម័យ) Project, hosted Cambodia’s first ever Urban Mobility Forum.

Rapid urbanisation has brought undeniably enormous opportunities to Cambodia but has also been associated with challenges that are significant and threaten to become insurmountable if not addressed effectively, including increased air pollution, traffic congestion and road safety.

“Recognizing the fundamental role of sustainable transport in achieving the future we want, the SUMAI project aims to support integrated sustainable urban transport solutions by reinforcing national capacities and systems strengthening, while stimulating innovations in smart transport solutions to accelerate progress on safety and mobility for all,” said Mr. Nick Beresford, UNDP Resident Representative.

This collaboration between the Royal Government of Cambodia and UNDP exhibits a multifaceted dynamic to tackling development challenges such as mobility.

“The Ministry of Public Works and Transport is pleased to host the very first Cambodia’s Urban Mobility Forum. This event is a great opportunity to showcase the progress of Cambodia, learn from our neighbouring countries and bring together like-minded people towards one and the same goal of ensuring road safety and improved urban mobility and transport for all,” says H.E. Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister and Minister, Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

The Urban Mobility Forum provided a unique opportunity to sound-out new insights and voices from inspiring speakers by keeping abreast of the latest practices and technologies applied in urban mobility with the view to make it safer, greener and more inclusive.

“For Grab, the smart mobility means goes beyond just usage of cutting-edge technology. It is critical to deeply understanding of the local context and our users' pain point. Thus for us, smart mobility often means solving issues closely linked with transport such as the integration of payments. We believe that this forum will strengthen initiatives to drive INNOVATION AND improvement of technology in urban mobility,” expressed by Mr. Russell Cohen, Regional Head of Operations Grab.

By bringing diverse practitioners, policy makers, private sector together, the Forum aspired to showcase how technologies and innovations have created new development opportunities for transforming urban mobility.

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For media inquiries or interviews, please contact:
1] Samruol lM, Communications Analyst at UNDP Cambodia through samruol.im@undp.org
2] Sokuntheara PON, Deputy Director of Information Technology and Public Relations Department through ponsokuntheara@gmail.com
3] Ly Chea Piseth, Communications Coordinator at Grab through cheapiseth.ly@grab.com

About UNDP
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspectives and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.kh.undp.org

About MPWT
MPWT plays the leading and managing roles in the implementation of national policy concerning all public works construction by establishing the principles of law and cooperate with various organizations to develop the country. MPWT is obligated to build, maintain and manage all the transportation infrastructure and also to manage and provide the transportation services to citizen and businesses. www.mpwt.gov.kh

About Grab
Grab is the leading ride-hailing transport company in South-East Asia. Grab makes transport accessible to all by matching passengers with the nearest drivers. Grab was originally found in Malaysia and later moved to Singapore. Officially launched in Cambodia on December 2017, Grab has been playing a significant role in the country ever since. www.grab.com.kh