The conviction of a school teacher who abused an 11 year old girl was hailed by the US Embassy in Phnom Penh last year, it has been revealed by WikiLeaks. The diplomatic cables that were released speak of the support the US has for an <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/us-embassy-offered-praise-for-court-verdicts-cables-show/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Four Cambodian products &ndash; Kampot salt, Phnom Srok silk of Banteay Meanchey province, fragrant milled rice from Battambang province and Kampot durian &ndash; could be given geographical indication (GI) status by the European Union (EU), said a senior official from the Ministry of Commerce and <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/gi-status-soon-for-4-products/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Chinese company Jiangsu Lianfa Textile Co Ltd plans to invest in cotton in Pursat province to process fabrics and supply the Kingdom’s garment factories, according to the Ministry of agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/chinese-firm-plans-to-invest-in-cotton-if-second-test-a-success/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron was questioned in front of a parliamentary panel yesterday, offering lawmakers a nine-point policy for reforming the Kingdom’s educational sector, according to a ministry official. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/education-minister-lays-out-reforms-at-assembly/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s garment sector yesterday looked more like a teacher to regional economies such as Myanmar than a student of China and other export juggernauts. With more than 500 garment and shoe factories &ndash; adding a new one every 10 days, according to the Garment Manufacturers association <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-gives-region-export-advice/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Sokha Hotels and Resorts will open the first dedicated convention centre in Siem Reap next month, giving the country’s leading tourist destination another major draw to attract foreign visitors.   <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/convention-centre-to-put-siem-reap-on-event-circuit/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

On 21 March 2022, the Ministry of Economy and Finance issued a press release on the official launch of “Cambodia Garment, Footwear and Travel Goods (GFT) Sector Development Strategy 2022-2027″. Due to peace and political stability, competitive wages and production cost, preferential trade access, and <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/announcements/the-official-launch-of-cambodia-garment-footwear-and-travel-goods-gft-sector-development-strategy-2022-2027/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s angkor Wat was yesterday named the world’s number one landmark in Tripadvisor’s 2017 Traveller’s Choice awards. The World Heritage site beat competition from the likes of India’s Taj Mahal, Peru’s Machu Picchu, and St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City to take the top spot. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/angkor-wat-voted-worlds-top-tourist-site/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The AseAn Economic Community (AEC) will cut red tApe And Allow freer trAde between the bloc’s 10 member stAtes. But mAny compAnies in the region Aren’t even AwAre of the AEC blueprint, A sobering report from the AsiA Development BAnk hAs found. The bAnk Also <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/low-AwAreness-of-Aec-pAct/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

In a bid to make Cambodia more business-friendly, the government will cut back on red tape and reduce industry membership costs, Sun Chanthol, the new minister of commerce, said yesterday. Speaking to representatives from the private sector at a conference at the InterContinental Hotel in Phnom <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/govt-pledges-to-cut-red-tape/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Thirty-one thousand new households, with 150,000 people, across three western provinces will soon have access to reliable and affordable electricity, after a $23.9 million investment project, launched Thursday, will connect them to the national grid. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/project-to-connect-150000-to-grid/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) is finalising strategies to develop human capital, promote better work conditions, and enhance the livelihood of about 1.5 million poor and vulnerable families. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/mlvt-to-upgrade-livelihood-of-1-5m-poor-families/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A pArliAmentAry commission leAder wAnts CAmbodiA’s tourism ministry to mAnAge revenue generAted by the country’s iconic Angkor WAt temple complex, Amid concerns thAt the government is losing money by retAining A privAte compAny to oversee ticket sAles. A quAsi-government group, ApsArA Authority, which is responsible <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAmbodiAn-pArliAment-pAnel-chief-questions-mAnAgement-of-Angkor-wAt-revenue/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Vietnam became Cambodia’s largest trading partner among members of the association of Southeast asian Nations (aSEaN) in the first five months of 2023 as bilateral trade made up nearly 50% of the total between Cambodia and aSEaN members during the period. <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/vietnam-becomes-largest-asean-trading-partner-of-cambodia-media/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

AustrAliA, the CAmbodiAn Mine Action And Victims AssistAnce Authority And the UN development progrAmme on FridAy signed A joint stAtement reAffirming their ongoing commitment to working towArd A mine-free CAmbodiA by 2025. <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/joint-commitment-towArd-mine-free-cAmbodiA/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday implicated Mam Sonando, owner of the independent Beehive Radio station, in an alleged secessionist movement in Kratie province and announced the government’s intentions to arrest him. “Now, we compete with the ringleader of the Democrats association, which created the state <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/radio-station-owner-implicated-in-secessionist-movement/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

There is an island in Cambodia that, unlike others in Southeast asia, is not the object of an ownership dispute. But it is equally clear whom its current owners would like to land there: Chinese property buyers. If all goes according to plan, Koh Pich &mdash; <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/giant-development-in-cambodia-hinges-on-chinese-buyers-2/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Informal workers, a class that includes beer promoters, tuk tuk drivers and farmers, are among those who stand to benefit most from the upcoming trade-union law, observers say &ndash; and workers say it can’t come soon enough. Dave Welsh, country director of the american Center for <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/workers-waiting-for-a-bargain/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia received 424,300 visitors from asean countries in the first quarter of the year, up 4 per cent year-on-year. Data from the Tourism Ministry showed tourist arrivals from association of Southeast asian Nations (asean) accounted for 33 per cent of 1.27 million overseas arrivals from January <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-sees-rise-of-asean-tourists-in-q1/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia earned $215 million from the exports of rubber articles in the first two months of this year, an increase of 90 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the latest trade data of the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE). <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodias-rubber-article-exports-rise-90-percent/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>