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NA President Receives VCFA Delegation
Phnom Penh, November 4, 2010 AKP -- A delegation of Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association (VCFA) led by its president Mr. Vu Mao paid here on Nov. 3 a courtesy visit to Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly.
The aim of the visit of the Vietnamese delegation composed of VCFA members, journalists, investors, etc. is to learn more about economic potentiality and to study investment opportunities in Cambodia, Korm Kosal, head of cabinet of the national assembly president, told reporters after the meeting.
For his part, Samdech Heng Samrin highly valued and welcomed the visit of the Vietnamese delegation in Cambodia, through which he said the ties of friendship and solidarity between the two countries, peoples and parties (the Cambodian People’s Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam) will be further strengthened.
He further expressed his satisfaction with the development of the trade and economic exchanges between both neighboring countries and called for more cooperation in investment, tourism and economic fields. --AKP
(By CHEA Vannak)
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Cambodian Prime Minister Censures Opposition's Alienism
Phnom Penh, November 4, 2010 AKP -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen sees the nature of the opposition's letter as seizing opportunity to make use of foreign opinion in Question and Answer Forum of the nation's National Assembly for the interest of the fugitive H.E. Sam Rainsy who has been on self-exile to avoid any responsibilities before existing law.
Seventeen members of the parliament from opposition Sam Rainsy Party have jointly made a request to the president of the National Assembly in order to get feedback from the Cambodian government on the so-called Resolution on Cambodia designed by European Parliament on Oct. 21.
“Resolution on Cambodia is but merely an opinion aimed at seeing Cambodia succeeding in implementing democracy, strengthening rule of law and social development,” Samdech Techo Hun Sen said in his response letter dated Nov. 2 addressed to National Assembly President Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin.
The letter stated “It is right that the expression made by the European Parliament is the right of a foreign institution. Nevertheless, the opinion may be beneficial to the people of Cambodia so long as the European Parliament has full-angle information about Cambodia with common sense reflecting the reality of evolution in Cambodia for the time being.”
This part of the letter is a feedback to the question as to what measure or decision the government should take in response to the request or the recommendation raised by the European Parliament.
The letter went on to say “The European Parliament ought to realize that the Cambodia opposition has thus far resorted to no culture of liberal democracy, not the same as what the opposition in European Union would do. The Cambodia opposition always uses foreign countries to decry the Cambodian government for their own advantage and ultra extremism.”
The Cambodian premier urged the European Parliament to help the Cambodia opposition change its extremist behavior and teach the latter how to play the opposition role in the system of parliament-oriented democracy in respect to the national constitution and laws of Cambodia.
“The people and the government of Cambodia, indeed, need the opposition groups that have capability to contest balanced politics in the framework of the National Assembly and have the same criteria as countries in Europe have,” the letter stressed.
He said H.E. Sam Rainsy has made the problem by himself when the latter lured and incited people to uproot demarcation posts at the border between Cambodia and Vietnam. “He himself committed the breach of law. So, he must be responsible before the law.”
The Cambodian premier affirmed that Cambodia's democratization has entered into a stage of consolidating rule of law and combat impunity with the purpose of ensuring public order, peace and tranquility for the entire people of Cambodia.
The 3-page letter of the Cambodian prime minister also responded to another question as to what stance the government should undertake to maintain aid from European Parliament and preserve reputation of Cambodia under the watch of the international community.
He said “As per the stance of the Cambodian government on European Union's aid, Cambodia as well as other countries always clings to strengthening confidence based on the principal of mutual interest, the right of self-determination of each country. Up to date, the Cambodian government has obtained lots of achievements in this context while the opposition seeks every way and means to hinder aid provided to Cambodia.”
“The international community including the European Union still continues and increases the quantity of their aid to Cambodia with every passing year while Cambodia enjoys more support.”
The letter concluded “Serving the people, the government never considers [its commitment] needs to tailor to foreign desire and never abandons national sovereignty and reliance and never thinks that Cambodia is under the watch of the international community.”
Samdech Techo Hun Sen called on the opposition to review its policy of ultra extremism [toward their own nation].
“I am the Prime Minister and my colleagues at the Council of Ministers firmly respect and always implement foreign policy and international cooperation on behalf and in the name of independent and sovereign state, and play the role of representing Cambodia on international arena with dignity and honor with other counterpart nations in accordance with national constitution and the provisions of oath of allegiance [we have taken],” Samdech Techo Hun Sen stressed. --AKP
(By OUK Kimseng)
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PM Highlights Cambodian Women’s Role in the Country Development
Phnom Penh, November 4, 2010 AKP -- Cambodian women have played an important role in the country development and the royal government has always acknowledged their potentiality, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen said yesterday.
Now, not only we re-examine the women’s traditional role, but also we recognize their capacity, their knowledge, their skills as well as their potentialities, which constitute an important part in the country’s socio-economic development,” Samdech Techo Hun Sen addressed the closing ceremony of the forum on “Uplifting Women’s Leadership Role at the Sub-national Level”.
The Cambodian premier further expressed the royal government’s determination to enhance women’s participation in the public and political sectors.
In Cambodia, the role of women has been remarkably uplifted. The proportion of women elected to the National Assembly has seen an increase – 5 percent in 1993, 11 percent in 1998, 19 percent in 2003 and 22 percent in 2008, while the proportion of women holding positions as secretary of state and undersecretary of state has increased from 7 percent and 9.6 percent in 2003 to 7.7 percent and 14.6 percent in 2008 respectively.
The number of women who are municipal and provincial council members, city, district and commune council members has been also on the rise during this past decade.
According to a report, the Secretariat of Public Service has issued and disseminated instruction information on selecting government officials serving public institutions as women from 20 to 50 percent. As a result, the proportion of women government officials has increased from 32 percent in 2007 to 34 percent in mid 2009. --AKP
(By KHAN Sophirom)
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German Ambassador Meets Cambodian DPMs
Phnom Penh, November 4, 2010 AKP -- Newly-appointed German Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Wolfgang Moser was received here last Tuesday by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers H.E. Sok An.
The meeting mainly focused on the discussion on the prospect of Cambodian-German cooperation in order to further strengthen and enhance the relations between the two countries, according to the Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the Council of Ministers.
Both sides believed that the bilateral relations between Cambodia and Germany have come to a good stage which could allow the cooperation between the two countries to be further enhanced.
The German diplomat underlined that Germany would focus its cooperation on two main sectors, namely health care and land reform. He added that his colleagues and he would strive to bring about more profound level of cooperation between the two countries.
On the occasion, H.E. Sok An also updated H.E. Wolfgang Moser on the general situation in Cambodia by highlighting the political and economic stability in the country and increased number of foreign tourists to Cambodia, in particular to Siem Reap province. In addition, the Cambodian deputy prime minister informed the ambassador about the success of Cambodia in having the Temple of Preah Vihear inscribed in the World Heritage List, the success of Cambodia in being elected as a member of the World Heritage Committee, the success of the International Coordinating Committee on the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC), and the successes made in the framework of Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).
H.E. Wolfgang Moser expressed his congratulation and appreciation to the Royal Government for these great successes. He would like the royal government to support the investment plan of the German company which will invest in rubber plantation in Cambodia.
In response, H.E. Sok An expressed his support for the rubber plantation investment plan by saying that Cambodia has potential in rubber plantation due to its richness in red soil which can provide high quality for rubber plantation, and the price of rubber on the international market is on the upward trend. Moreover, the deputy prime minister encouraged German investors to study the investment possibility in other fields as well.
The following day, the newly-appointed ambassador of Germany met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H.E. Hor Namhong.
In the meeting, H.E. Hor Namhong welcomed the direct flight project from Germany to Cambodia and thanked the German people and government for their assistance to the development of Cambodia, particularly to mine-clearance, the ECCC and the development of rural infrastructure.
Germany pledged in June 2010 to provide over US$143 million to support development projects in Cambodia from 2010 to 2012. --AKP
(By SOKMOM Nimul)
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Fifteen Stock Exchange Firms Licensed
Phnom Penh, November 4, 2010 AKP -- The Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia has decided to license 15 stock exchange firms to take part in the operation of stock market in Cambodia.
The licenses were handed over in Phnom Penh Tuesday by Keat Chhon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance.
Of the 15 licensed firms, seven are underwriters, two dealers, four brokers and two investment advisors.
Speaking at the license hand-over ceremony, Minh Ban Kosal, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia, said that within the framework and vision of the financial sector development, the stock exchange firms are key players and an important infrastructure in the operation and development of stock exchange market in Cambodia.
He further said that the hand-over of the licenses reflected the achievement of an important step in putting the stock exchange market into operation and providing legal status to the stock exchange operators.
Keat Chhon advised the licensed firms to abide by laws, regulations and other requirements for the maintenance of order, market effectives, and especially the investors’ confidence to ensure the strength of stock exchange market system and the whole financial system of Cambodia. --AKP
(By Ravuth M.)
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Cambodia Hosts Road Safety Seminar to Highlight Asian Road Safety Innovation
Phnom Penh, November 4, 2010 AKP -- More than 150 leading road safety experts, practitioners, business representatives and government officials from around the world are gathering in Siem Reap, Cambodia's Northern province on Wednesday for a particular topic on the Global Road Safety Partnership's (GRSP) Asia Road Safety Seminar, reported Chinese News Agency Xinhua.
In a statement released by Handicap International Belgium, it says it is a three-day key regional event in which participants will share strategies for reducing road-crash related injury and discuss the implementation of the United Nations' Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.
This year's event is being run with the support of the Government of Cambodia through its National Road Safety Committee (NRSC).
“Asia has a critical role to play in addressing the road safety crisis,” said Andrew Pearce, CEO of GRSP. “A region with diverse cultures, growing economies and rapid motorization, Asia is at the front-line of the road safety crisis, suffers heavily from a crisis that claims 1.3 million lives worldwide annually.”
“Fortunately, Asia has also become a hotbed for road safety innovation, where best practices have proven to make a difference in changing behavior and reducing road crash related death and injury,” he said.
And he added that “those attending the seminar will hear about numerous cases in which multi-sector road safety interventions in Asia have provided proven, life-saving results and inspired other efforts around the world.”
Some of the road safety interventions to be featured include: Programs to promote helmet use in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam that have led to quantifiable increases in helmet wearing, and in the case of Cambodia and Vietnam, they resulted in clear reductions in motorcycle related death and injury.
The speeches will cover road infrastructure projects in Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea and Bangladesh using the latest technology to identify safety issues and design road improvements, as well as the updates on projects in China that have improved safety pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
The GRSP Asia Road Safety Seminar has become a key platform for developing effective responses to this global, man-made humanitarian crisis.
Each year, 1.3 million people are killed on the world's roads and 90 percent of these fatalities are in developing countries.
This death toll is set to rise dramatically over the next decade unless action is taken. In March this year, the United Nations passed a resolution calling for a Decade of Action for Road Safety in 2011-2020.
Sharing speech at the opening of the seminar, Sou Phirin, governor of Siem Reap province said, “I would like to inform that death resulting from road accidents has worryingly increased day to day. Road accident has become a main subject of serious concern to the Royal Government of Cambodia, which has considered it as 2nd biggest catastrophe after AIDS.”
He recalled the report filed by Road Crash Victim Data System (RCVIS) which showed that over the last five years, the number of crashes and fatalities has increased by almost doubled.
“Almost 90 percent of road crash casualties are motorbike riders, pedestrians and bicyclists. As a result, road crashes in 2009 caused 1717 people died and had an enormous impact on the social and economic welfare of Cambodia with an estimated annual cost of US$248 million,” he was quoted as saying.
The seminar has been supported over the years by GRSP through its corporately funded Global Road Safety Initiative (GRSI) program, with funds provided by Ford, General Motors, Honda, Michelin, Renault, Shell and Toyota.
This year's event is also supported by the International Road Assessment Program (IRAP), FIA Foundation, Asian Development Bank, and Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO).
GRSP is a global partnership between business, civil society and governmental organizations collaborating to improve road safety conditions around the world.
It was initiated by the World Bank Group in 1999, and is a hosted program of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). GRSP undertakes a range of activities in low and middle income countries worldwide, ranging from program delivery and demonstration projects to capacity building and advocacy. --AKP
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World Bank Assists Cambodia's Poor Affected by Typhoon Ketsana
Phnom Penh, November 4, 2010 AKP -- The World Bank approved a US$40 million grant and credit on Nov. 2 to help restore the losses and damage from typhoon Ketsana in Cambodia.
The Ketsana Emergency Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Project (KERRP) aims to restore transportation and water and sanitation services to the affected people who are mostly poor and live in the rural areas, as well as to strengthen the capacity of the government in disaster preparedness and management, said a press release of the World Bank.
“Typhoon Ketsana devastated the lives and livelihood of tens of thousands of Cambodian people, particularly the poor. This project will help to restore the damaged infrastructure such as rural roads and provide basic services such as water and sanitation facilities, to the affected people in mostly rural areas,” said the World Bank Country Manager for Cambodia, Qimiao Fan.
The International Development Association – the division of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries – is providing a grant and an interest-free loan for the project: each valued at US$20 million. This four-year project will focus on four main components:
The rehabilitation, reconstruction and improvement of 920 km of existing rural roads, including bridges, culverts and drainage facilities. The construction of 1,400 community-based wells with hand pumps, and the building of 32,000 units of pour-flush latrines for the affected households.
Supporting Emergency Response by providing retroactive financial support for specific eligible expenditures for emergency response works.
Supporting project implementation agencies by providing technical assistance in project management such as detailed surveys, engineering designs, procurement, financial management, construction supervision, monitoring and evaluation, and community outreach.
Strengthening the capacity building of institutions by supporting the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) in increasing its capacity for disaster preparedness and management. This will be achieved through the development of national and provincial risk maps, emergency management information, and early warning systems, as well as the development of housing and building codes.
The World Bank's program in Cambodia is designed to provide support to the poorest segments of the population, within the overarching goal to improve governance, said the press release. --AKP
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