Day: June 15, 2022

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia and Chair of ASEAN for 2022, has expressed his intention to see the block host the FIFA World Cup in 2034 or 2038.

“As the Chair of ASEAN for 2022, I want to see ASEAN have a vision and plan to bid for the host of FIFA World Cup in 2034 or 2038,” Samdech Techo Hun Sen said while presiding over the welcoming event of FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour to Cambodia, at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh this morning.

“I will examine the possibility to ask other ASEAN Heads of State/Government to support and make this initiative a reality,” he added.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen said since the World Cup started in 1930, Asia could host this global sport event only twice: the first time in Japan and the Republic of Korea in 2002 and this year in Qatar.

ASEAN therefore should consider bidding for the host in 2034 or 2038 to further strengthen the values of economic, cultural, educational and sports cooperation in the ASEAN Community with harmony among the member countries by drawing on global economic power to fill ASEAN’s shortfall from this influential World Cup, the Cambodian Premier underlined.

World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s global governing body.

According to H.E. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and President of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), before arriving in Cambodia, the FIFA World Cup Trophy has already crossed 20 countries, and will depart from Cambodia on June 17 to 30 other countries.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Cambodia and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have discussed bilateral cooperation, on the sidelines of WTO’s 12th Ministerial Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

The discussion took place on June 13 between H.E. Pan Sorasak, Cambodian Minister of Commerce, and Ms. Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of the UNCTAD’s Division on Technology and Logistics.

H.E. Pan Sorasak noted the good cooperation between Cambodia and UNCTAD on some areas, and thanked UNCTAD’s support for Cambodia’s development so far.

The minister mentioned about Law on e-commerce adopted in 2019, and thanked UNCTAD for supporting Cambodia’s e-commerce sector through the creation of eTrade Readiness Assessment in 2017 which has given Cambodia e-commerce strategy being jointly implemented along with Cambodia Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework 2021-2035.

He spoke highly of UNCTAD’s support in strengthening trade policy related to trade preferences and rules of origin as well as sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

H.E. Pan Sorasak further pointed out the significance of UNCTAD’s assistance in the implementation of ASEAN LDC Trade Policy which enables Cambodia to practice regional cumulation without any barriers, particularly for textile goods and bicycles among Cambodian main exports.

The Cambodian commerce minister also laid stress on the good progress of combination of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) and Customs Declaration System of Cambodia Post supported by UNCTAD, EIF and Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation.

H.E. Pan Sorasak expressed thanks to UNCTAD for its positive response to Cambodia’s requests, including those related to the Kingdom’s graduation from LDC.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

The Russian Embassy to Cambodia has vowed to further cooperation with Cambodia, noting the decades-aged friendship ties between the two countries.

Russian Ambassador H.E. Anatoly Borovik made the commitment during the Russia Day celebration, held here last weekend.

According to the embassy’s statement, the head of Russian diplomatic mission emphasised his country’s long-standing friendly relations with Cambodia, assistance to its reconstruction after the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime, and the current development of bilateral engagement in various fields.

H.E. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister, First Vice-President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), took part in the event as the Main Guest. The reception was also attended by esteemed representatives of the Royal Government, Senate and National Assembly, ministries and institutions, foreign diplomatic missions, as well as business structures, Association of Former Cambodian Students from Soviet Union and Russia, and Russian Orthodox Church.

Mr. Anatoly Borovik highlighted the importance of this national holiday, Russia’s connecting role between Europe and Asia, its great contribution to the victory over Nazism during the Second World War (1939-1945), as well as in scientific, technical and cultural achievements.

For his part, H.E. Ly Thuch marked the dynamic development of Russian-Cambodian multifaceted cooperation, which for 66 years of the existence of the diplomatic relations has been solidified by mutual support, understanding, and close humanitarian contacts.

Cambodia and the Soviet Union – now the Russian Federation – established their diplomatic relations in 1956.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

The Royal Government of Cambodia hosted the 25th Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Subregional Transport Forum (STF-25) on June 14 in Siem Reap province, during which the participants discussed about certain topics of cross-border trade, railway development and logistics improvements.

The forum was organised by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, chaired by H.E. Trac Thai Sieng, the ministry’s Secretary of State, and was attended by a total of 128 representatives from Mekong subregion members – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and China’s Yunnan province – and representatives of relevant ministries and institutions.

The STF reviews, coordinates, and monitors regional transport plans and projects of GMS member countries.

Themed “Taking Action on GMS 2030 Strategy and COVID-19 Plan with Emerging Ideas”, the 2022 STF-25 meeting aims to report and exchange ideas on how the Greater Mekong Subregion Transport Forum can contribute to the implementation of priority issues and initiatives under GMS Economic Cooperation Programme Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030) and GMS COVID-19 Response and Recovery Plan.

GMS was established to develop priority areas such as agriculture, energy, environment, health, human resource development, information technology and telecommunications, tourism, transportation, trade, urban development and border special economic zones.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Australia is one of the longest standing supporters of mine clearance action in Cambodia, participating in the government’s goal setting of mine-free status by 2025, said a senior official.

H.E. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), made the remark in a meeting held here earlier this week with H.E. Ms. Kathryn Campbell, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia.

Australia is considered to be a prominent and strong partner for mine action in Cambodia, he stressed.

H.E. Ly Thuch expressed his deep gratitude to the Government of Australia for its support for the humanitarian mine action sector in Cambodia since 1994, contributing to saving millions of lives from landmines and explosive remnants of war.

He requested the Australian government to continue supporting mine clearance operations in Cambodia until the last demining.

For her part, H.E. Ms. Kathryn Campbell praised and appreciated the achievements of Cambodia in mine clearance and pledged to continue to support the demining activities in Cambodia.

On June 14, H.E. Ms. Kathryn Campbell held a meeting with H.E. Gen. Sem Sovanny, Director General of the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces, Mines and Explosive Remnants of War Clearance (NPMEC), during which she reaffirmed Australia’s continued support to strengthen the capacity of Cambodian blue helmet troops, especially the female ones.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press