Cambodia and Colombia on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a political consultation mechanism in order to strengthen the bilateral relations and cooperation. The deal was inked between Ouch Borith, Secretary of State of Cambodian Ministry of Foreign affairs, and Patti Londono, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodia-colombia-ink-deal-for-political-consultation-mechanism/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The World Bank upgraded Monday its GDP growth forecast for Cambodia to 7.0 percent for this year, up 0.3 of a percentage point from its last projection in December. “In Cambodia, a likely stabilization in high-income country conditions should support further improvements in garment production and <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/world-bank-upgrades-cambodias-growth-forecast-for-this-year/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

More than 40 hectares of protected forest in Rattanakiri’s O’Yadav district was razed by a Vietnamese company over the course of six days before they were stopped yesterday by villagers and investigators from rights group adhoc, a local official said. Sav Hlin, a village chief in <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/40-hectares-razed-in-rkiri/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy on Wednesday asked the Constitutional Council of Cambodia (CCC) to re­instate him as a voter and candidate for Sunday’s election, privileges he lost due to criminal convictions that King Norodom Sihamoni recently pardoned. “I would like the Constitutional Council of Cambodia to <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/rainsy-asks-constitutional-council-to-clear-election-candidacy/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A delegAtion of 15 IndiAn firms is in CAmbodiA this week looking to increAse the country’s involvement in CAmbodiA’s economy, pArticulArly in the Agriculture And mining sectors. At present, CAmbodiA does modest trAde with IndiA, the second lArgest country in the world by populAtion. But the <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/indiAn-firms-look-to-cAmbodiA-industries/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

In a release, Oxley Holdings Limited announced that the Group’s 49%-owned associated company, Oxley-Worldbridge (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., had entered into an amendment agreement dated 1 July 2013 in respect of a share sale and purchase agreement dated 22 May 2013 to acquire all the shares <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/oxley-to-acquire-cambodian-asset-for-us11-2m/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

With the potential for vast state revenues from oil extraction and mining in coming years, Cambodia is currently failing to manage its nascent extractive industries according to a think tank. New York-based Revenue Watch Institute yesterday launched its 2013 Resource Governance Index, which included Cambodia for <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/think-tank-says-cambodia-isnt-managing-its-resources/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

About 1,000 gArment workers on WednesdAy demonstrAted outside Kompong Speu ProvinciAl Court cAlling for the releAse of eight people Arrested during A protest this week over wAges At A fActory supplying U.S. brAnd Nike, A union officiAl sAid. Fighting between the workers on MondAy displAyed <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/fActory-workers-demAnd-releAse-of-eight-After-protest/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Nearly 70 representatives from 278 families in Preah Vihear’s Rovieng district are seeking intervention after a national mining company began drilling on their farmland last week, locals said yesterday. according to villager Yean Bunchan, 47, representatives from a company based in Kandal province called T P <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/villagers-fight-mining-venture/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodia’s per capita income increased four times in two decades since the Kingdom held its first United Nations supported democratic election in 1993, according to a report from Cambodia’s Development and Research Institute. In 1993, the country’s per capita income was only $240 USD per year, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodians-income-rose-four-times-in-two-decades/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian opposition officials said Tuesday they will give the government three months to hold a new election, or they will lead a movement in hopes of toppling its leadership. Kem Sokha, vice president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, said the government is harming its citizens <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/cambodian-opposition-gives-government-three-month-deadline/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Construction on a four-year, $150 million commercial and residential development that will transform 70,000 square metres of land on Koh Pich into Parisian-style apartments with a replica of the arc de Triomphe at the centre is reportedly scheduled to commence in the coming months. The &Eacute;lys&eacute;e, <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/little-paris-comes-to-koh-pich/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A week-long strike involving more thAn 100 work-study pArticipAnts At Phnom Penh-bAsed NGO DigitAl Divide DAtA ended on SundAy following tAlks conducted by the sociAl enterprise’s CEO, who flew in from New York to Attend to the mAtter, pArticipAnts And mAnAgement sAid yesterdAy. ProgrAm pArticipAnts, who <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/digitAl-divide-stAff-bAck-on-job/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday heard the case of a woman charged with defaming mining magnate and RCaF Lieutenant General Nim Meng in relation to a land dispute in Preah Sihanouk province. Presiding Judge Kim Dany said that Sok Neang Gek was being charged <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/woman-tried-for-insulting-rcaf-mining-tycoon/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In their latest bid for a $160 minimum monthly wage for the garment industry, independent unions will lead a “stay at home” strike late next week. While the chances of that figure being approved anytime soon seem slight &ndash; the government has only just announced a <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/costs-dont-top-brands-concerns/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

In December 2011, the managing director of Megagreen Imex Cambodia, Renne Outh, proudly announced that his firm had inked a $21 million deal to be the first to ship Cambodian rice to the Philippines. Nearly two and a half years on, not a single Cambodian grain <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/exporter-under-attack-in-rice-row/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

More than 1,000 workers held a demonstration in front of Ocean Garment factory in the capital yesterday, burning tyres and blocking the road in protest against the management’s refusal to abide by a ruling that workers be paid in full for a one-month closure. On May <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/factory-wage-rallies-heat-up/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Authorities in PursAt’s KrAkor district yesterdAy ordered A cAssAvA compAny to stop cleAring lAnd on which more thAn 60 fAmilies clAim they hAve plAnted rice And other crops since 1997, villAgers And A compAny officiAl sAid. Following protests in Anlong Tnort commune on TuesdAy, villAger Lim <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/firm-ordered-to-stop-cleAring-lAnd/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Every day, five people die in traffic accidents in Cambodia &ndash; a number the government is hoping to reduce with a new policy aimed at cutting traffic accidents by 50 per cent in 2020. The National Policy on Road Safety, passed by the Council of Ministers <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/news/plan-aims-to-cut-road-deaths/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

A spirited debAte on humAn rights in CAmbodiA wAs heArd in the AustrAliAn pArliAment this week After An opposition LAbor PArty MP introduced A motion cAlling on the government to condemn stAte violence AgAinst striking gArment workers And Ask Authorities to releAse detAined protesters. ClAre O’Neil, <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/news/cAmbodiA-hAs-floor-in-oz-pArliAment-debAte/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>