Wednesday, 8 September 2010

AKP - Agent Kampuchea Press


via CAAI

WB Vice President Appreciates Cambodian PM’s Leadership

Phnom Penh, September 8, 2010 AKP -- Visiting Senior Vice President of the World Bank (WB), Mr. Justin Yifu Lin has praised Cambodia for its successes, which he said reflected the wise and right leadership of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen.

Mr. Lin also lauded the Kingdom for its economic development despite the global financial crisis, Ieng Sophalet, assistant to the Cambodian premier told reporters here on Tuesday upon the meeting between Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Mr. Justin Yifu Lin.

The WB senior vice president further said that Cambodia is among the five countries that have achieved the Millennium Development Goals.

He also informed the Cambodian prime minister of his first visit to Cambodia, the purpose of which, he said, is to learn more about Cambodia’s development and to contribute to helping the country towards development as WB has done so far.

For his part, Samdech Techo Hun Sen detailed his guest of four of the ten priorities set out by the Royal Government of Cambodia since 1987 to promote national economic development, including construction of irrigation system for the agricultural field, development of physical infrastructure and telecommunications, resolution to electricity issue and human resource development.

WB Senior Vice President Mr. Justin Yifu Lin arrived here on Sept. 6 for a three-day visit. During his stay, he has held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister H.E. Keat Chhon and witnessed the signing ceremony of credit and grant agreements to support Cambodia’s higher education project. He also visited ACLEDA Bank Plc. to learn about its rapid development and the country’s banking and financial sector as well. --AKP

(By OU Sokha)

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PM: Literacy Is the Basic Right in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, September 8, 2010 AKP -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen considered literacy is the basic right for all Cambodian people and the key development of the country.

The remarks were made in Samdech Techo’s address on the National and International Literacy Day on Sept. 8.

In his address, Samdech Techo Hun Sen urged for more cooperation between state and private sectors as well other relevant non-governmental organizations so as to help reduce the illiteracy rate.

To develop a country, we have to develop the human resources with knowledge, health and social morality, said the Cambodian premier. --AKP

(By KHAN Sophirom)

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The Expanded Meeting of the Friends of the ECCC Held at the Council of Ministers

Phnom Penh, September 8, 2010 AKP -- The Expanded Meeting of the Friends of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) was held here on Sept. 7 in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Sok An, Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers.

The meeting was attended by visiting Special Expert to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on UNAKRT Mr. Clint Williamson and other foreign diplomats from 22 nations and the European Union.

The talks focused on reviewing the ECCC’s achievements in the long-awaiting trial of Case File 001 being successfully completed in August this year and conducting the 2010-2011 fundraising for ECCC to help define its completion process.

In his remarks, Mr. Chan Tani, secretary of state of the Office of the Council of Ministers, who participated in the meeting, said the challenges remain on the financial front, both for the national component and the UN component of the court.

As of June 30, 2010, the UN side had a funding shortfall of US$6.4 million for 2010 and US$29.8 million for 2011, he said.

The national side had a funding shortfall of US$1 million for 2010 and as to 2011, only US$4 million has been pledged including US$1.1 million from the Royal Government of Cambodia as against the overall budgetary requirement of US$11.7 million, he told the meeting.

In order to save the future and the legacy of the ECCC, he said, additional funds are critically needed to enable the court to discharge their historic mandate.

In his speech, H.E. Sok An said on behalf of the royal government of Cambodia, he expressed the firm commitment to support the independent judicial process of the ECCC.

He also expressed his willingness to work constructively with Cambodia’s partners and stakeholders to ensure the ECCC completes its mandates in an orderly manner so that it is recognized as a success by Cambodians as well as the international community. --AKP

(By THOU Peou)

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DPM Sok An Receives IMF Delegation

Phnom Penh, September 8, 2010 AKP -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers H.E. Sok An received here last Monday a visiting delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Mr. Olaf Unteroberdoester.

The IMF delegation came to Cambodia to learn more about the country’s economic development.

In the meeting, H.E. Sok An told the delegation of the key factors contributing to ensure and maintain Cambodia’s economic development, including peace, security and national unity, which he said are the opportunities for sustainable development.

To ensure the sustainability of the economic development, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has also paid attention to the reform of civil servants and the anticorruption law, he said.

The meeting also touched on the oil and gas issue. The Cambodian deputy prime minister said Cambodia hopes to get the first drop of oil explored by Chevron Company in Bloc A by Dec. 12, 2012 at noon as agreed by the company and RGC.

The IMF delegation recognized and highly evaluated RGC’s endeavors in the national economic development. --AKP

(By CHEA Vannak)

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WB Extends US$23 Million for Higher Education Project in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, September 8, 2010 AKP -- The World Bank (WB) has provided US$23 million in credit and grant to support the Higher Education Quality and Capacity Improvement Project in Cambodia.

The credit and grant agreements were signed here yesterday by Minister attached to the Prime Minister and Finance Secretary of State H.E. Aun Porn Moniroth, and WB Country Director Ms. Annette Dixon.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister H.E. Keat Chhon, Education Minister H.E. Im Sethy and many other government officials as well as visiting WB Senior Vice President Mr. Justin Yifu Lin witnessed the signing ceremony.

According to a press release of the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance, the total amount of funding comprises of US$11.5 million in credit and US$11.5 million in grant.

The five-year Higher Education Quality and Capacity Improvement Project is aimed at improving the quality of education, management and research capacity at the higher education, and to provide scholarships to 1,000 poor students, the press release said.

“Since 1993, WB’s total assistance to Cambodia reached to US$1,059 billion, of which grants amounted to US$345.5 million and credits to US$713.5 million,” said H.E. Aun Porn Moniroth on the occasion. --AKP

(By SOKMOM Nimul)

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Cambodian Buddhist Monk To Receive Equator Prize 2010 for Forest Protection

Phnom Penh, September 8, 2010 AKP -- A Cambodian Buddhist monk has won the Equator Prize 2010 from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The monk, Bun Saluot, 39, has played leading role in the protection of The Monks Community Forest (MCF), which covers an area of 18,261 hectares in Samrong and Anlong Veng districts of the northwestern province of Oddar Meanchey.

Venerable Bun Saluot will leave Cambodia next week for New York to attend the awarding ceremony with other 24 Equator Prize winners around the world.

The MCF is now the largest among the 12 community forests in the country, ensuring that 3,500 families of poor villagers have got benefits from its resources, said venerable Saluot.

Mr. Long Rattanak Koma, deputy director of Forestry and Community Forest said that the Equator Prize will encourage not only the local community to continue to protect the forests, but also the royal government to provide support to other forest communities throughout the country. --AKP

(By Théng)

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