Day: June 25, 2021

Cambodia’s efforts to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and begin its journey toward economic recovery were given a boost today by World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors, who approved a US$200 million International Development Association (IDA) credit for the Cambodia Relief, Recovery and Resilience Development Policy Financing Project, said a press release AKP received this morning.
The project will help Cambodia deal with the COVID‐19 crisis by providing timely and targeted relief to affected people, facilitating robust recovery through structural reforms, and building resilience against future economic shocks, it added.
According to the source, Cambodia is facing an unprecedented economic and social crisis. In 2020 its economy contracted for the first time in thirty years — by 3.1 percent — and is in now in the midst of its worst COVID-19 outbreak since the pandemic began. The sectors most impacted by the crisis — including garments, tourism, and construction — are also those which account for much of the employment in the country, creating additional challenges for a sustained economic recovery. In the absence of significant mitigation measures, the pandemic could result in sharp rises in unemployment and poverty, with the number of people falling into poverty expected to swell by nearly one million.
To deal with this situation, the Royal Government of Cambodia has introduced emergency response measures and is preparing a Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan. This latest DPF will assist the government’s efforts in mitigating the immediate fallout of the pandemic by supporting actions that provide financial relief to affected households and firms. These actions include the introduction of reforms to improve the business environment, as well as measures to strengthen public finance management and revenue-mobilisation institutions.
“There is a clear need in Cambodia to provide quick-disbursing resources in support of a comprehensive, government-led programme that will protect the poorest from the impacts of the crisis and assist with the country’s economic and social recovery,” said Ms. Inguna Dobraja, World Bank Country Manager for Cambodia.
This project represents an integral part of the World Bank Group’s broader COVID‐19 response in the country and is part of a package of budget-support operations being provided by a number of Cambodia’s development partners, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Union (EU), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank Group has committed over US$125 billion to fight the health, economic, and social impacts of the pandemic, the fastest and largest crisis response in its history. The financing is helping more than 100 countries strengthen pandemic preparedness, protect the poor and jobs, and jump start a climate-friendly recovery. The Bank is also providing US$12 billion to help low- and middle-income countries purchase and distribute COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Cambodian senior officials have held talks via Videoconference with newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn.
During a meeting on Wednesday with Samdech Kralahom Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn hoped to continue a frank dialogue with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and other stakeholders to jointly address issues of common concern in a constructive manner.
Samdech Sar Kheng welcomed and congratulated Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn on his appointment as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia. He strongly hoped for the good cooperation between Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn and the RGC, including the Ministry of Interior, in the field of human rights.
The discussion mainly touched on the situation in prisons, democratic space and the process of NGOs law amendment, and the general aspect of COVID-19 in Cambodia and subsequent response measures in the aftermath of the pandemic.
In the virtual meeting on Thursday with H.E. Keo Remy, President of Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC), both sides expressed their willingness to continue the cooperation and dialogue on human rights.
H.E. Keo Remy requested the Special Rapporteur to make a balanced report and recommendations reflecting the challenges and efforts of the RGC and based on the Cambodian context, according to H.E. Chin Malin, Vice President and Spokesman of CHRC.
The talks focused on the CHRC’s work progress concerning the preparation of human rights report to the UN, legal aid and settlement of civil complaints, review of human rights situation in prisons, and establishment of human rights institution; legal and administrative measures against COVID-19; and political space, democracy and civil society, pointed out the spokesperson.
Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn officially took his post as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia on May 1, 2021.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Cambodia and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will continue to cooperate on public administration reform programme in Cambodia, focusing on capacity building of civil servants.
The commitment was highlighted by H.E. Prum Sokha, Cambodian Minister of Civil Services and Ms. Kamei Haruko, Chief Representative of JICA Cambodia Office, during a courtesy meeting at the ministry in Phnom Penh on June 24.
The two sides spoke highly of the Japanese government’s assistance and support for the Royal Government and people of Cambodia through JICA, particularly in public administration reform process.
They also recalled the good cooperation between the Royal Government of Cambodia and JICA in organising training and study tours in Japan for Cambodian civil servants’ capacity building, and other human resource development activities.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

India has lured Cambodian people to visit the Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Bihar and Maharashtra States of India after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Embassy of India in Cambodia on Thursday flagged off Bajaj tuk-tuks (three-wheelers) from the embassy premises, carrying the infographics of incredible India posters of Buddhist sites in Bihar and Maharashtra States.
Indian Ambassador H.E. Ms. Devyani Khobragade expressed her delight to see that India-made tuk-tuks are a common mode of transport in Cambodia, and hoped that this gesture will help COVID-19-affected tuk-tuk drivers.
“This unique way of advertisement will promote prominent pilgrimage destinations in India which is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Independence in 2022,” she said, underlining Prime Minister of India H.E. Narendra Modi’s special efforts to leverage Buddhist linkages with ASEAN and East Asian countries.
For tourism cooperation, the two governments have put efforts to boost the direct flight between both nations.
On the same day, H.E. Ms. Ambassador attended a handover ceremony of three tricycle ambulances to Phnom Penh Municipality by Bajaj Auto Co., in the presence of Mr. Huot Hay, Phnom Penh Municipal Deputy Governor.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press