Thursday, 10 September 2009

More economic research needed

The Phnom Penh Post
Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:00 Chun Sophal

A VISITING research fellow called on the Cambodian government Wednesday to do more to boost the country's research sector for the good of its economic development.

Pou Sothearak, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, told a gathering of 200 researchers from local and foreign institutes in Phnom Penh that government initiatives should also include a research network to facilitate the exchange of ideas.

"If Cambodia can form a group of autonomous researchers, it will be very good for the development of the country in the future," he said. "Development based on research yields a more satisfying result."

Larry Strange, executive director of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute, said better research was needed at the national level to create effective development strategies for Cambodia.

Hang Chuon Naron, secretary general of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said Cambodia lacks the resources to carry out research vital to the nation's economic future. He said he supports Pou Sothearak's call for a national body of researchers.

"We want to arrange a research network that will allow all of Cambodia's researchers to meet and share their experiences on poverty, agricultural policies, economics and natural resource management," he said.

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