Aid and development
Multilateral development assistance
Government not ready for World Bank loans: US
The U.S. accused the Cambodian government of scaling back the space for free speech and the World Bank of failing to learn from its mistakes in justifying its decision to abstain from a recent Bank vote that approved a sheaf of new loans to Cambodia. ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-not-ready-for-world-bank-loans%E2%80%88us-113178/
World bank loans prompt credibility questions
The World Bank’s decision earlier this month to resume lending to Cambodia after a five-year moratorium has drawn criticism from development experts. ...
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/a/world-bank-loans-prompt-credibility-questions/3347308.html
World Bank to re-engage after five-year absence
The World Bank has approved $130 million in developmental aid aimed at reducing poverty in Cambodia, signalling its first direct re-engagement with the Kingdom since it left in protest in 2011 after one of the largest forceful evictions led by the government displaced more than ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/world-bank-re-engage-after-five-year-absence
UN helps ministries budget for climate change
As Cambodia continues its battle against raging thunderstorms and stifling droughts, officials from a variety of ministries attended a three-day workshop last week on how to incorporate the wide-ranging effects of climate change into the national and provincial budgeting process. ...
Jonathan Greig
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/25133/un-helps-ministries-budget-for-climate-change/
World Bank to vote on ending punitive 5-year funding freeze
The World Bank’s board of directors could vote today to renew a project for landless families in Cambodia that has run into major problems, a move that would effectively lift a five-year freeze on lending its own money to the country in protest over forced ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/world-bank-to-vote-on-ending-punitive-5-year-funding-freeze-112778/
UN body takes issue with stance on disabled rights
A UN spokesperson has rejected a government reading of a UN convention used to justify banning people with disabilities from performing in the streets. ...
Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/un-body-takes-issue-stance-disabled-rights
Russian federation to help safeguard Preah Vihear
Russia plans to join the International Coordinator Committee to safeguard and develop the Preah Vihear historical site, an official confirmed yesterday. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24313/russian-federation-to-help-safeguard-preah-vihear/
UN agency to give $36 million for rural market access
The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide $36 million to the Commerce Ministry to help improve market access for poor farmers and small entrepreneurs. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24087/un-agency-to-give--36-million-for-rural-market-access/
Garments to keep economy strong through China slowdown
The World Bank on Monday said it still predicted strong growth from the Cambodian economy—led by garment exports—and only a moderate cooling over the next few years despite a “faster than expected” slowdown in China, Cambodia’s biggest foreign investor. ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/garments-to-keep-economy-strong-through-china-slowdown-111225/
Kingdom's judiciary perceived as most corrupt: UNDP
The judiciary is perceived as the most corrupt government institution in the Kingdom, according to a United Nations Development Programme global survey of corruption in the judiciary released on Friday. ...
Chhin Malin
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kingdoms-judiciary-perceived-most-corrupt-undp
UN to assist NEC ahead of elections
The United Nations is ready to cooperate with and support the National Election Committee (NEC) with additional aid, providing it submits a written letter of intent to the UN’s office in the country. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/23769/un-to-assist-nec-ahead-of-elections/
Cambodia faltering on road to democracy, EU cautions
The government’s suppression of human rights poses a serious threat to Cambodia’s democratic progress, visiting members of the European Parliament’s human rights subcommittee warned on Friday. ...
Ben Paviour
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/110765-110765/
UN envoy sees rights deteriorate in absence
The U.N.’s human rights envoy to Cambodia said the political climate had clearly deteriorated in the six months since her first fact-finding mission and that the country remained at a “dangerous tipping point” ahead of commune and national elections. ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-envoy-sees-rights-deteriorate-in-absence-110703/
Union law violates human rights, finds OHCHR
The United Nations Human Rights Commission in Cambodia (OHCHR) yesterday released an analysis of the contentious draft trade union law finding key clauses to be in violation of existing Cambodian law, human rights norms and the ILO’s conventions. ...
Bun Sengkong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/union-law-violates-human-rights-finds-ohchr
UN promises to improve Cambodian agricultural production
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will continue its support for the Kingdom’s food security and agricultural sector, while also helping with market research to assist the export of Cambodian milled rice and geographically-protected pepper products, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/23418//
Kingdom's economy to remain stable: ADB
Cambodia’s economy is expected to remain stable this year as uncertainty surrounding China’s economic slowdown appears to ease, and backed primarily by strong performance in garment and footwear manufacturing, as well as construction, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said yesterday. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/kingdoms-economy-remain-stable-adb
UN envoy meets interior minister Sar Kheng
After police in Preah Vihear province blocked the U.N.’s human rights envoy from meeting with indigenous villagers earlier this week, Rhona Smith sat down with Interior Minister Sar Kheng in Phnom Penh on Wednesday and called for better communication between national and local government officials. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-envoy-meets-interior-minister-sar-kheng-110656/
UN human rights rapporteur discusses judicial sector reform
The independence of the country’s judiciary was among the issues that UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Rhona Smith raised yesterday during a meeting with the minister of justice as part of her 10-day visit. ...
Mech Dara and Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/un-human-rights-rapporteur-discusses-judicial-sector-reform
Kampot to get new port
Construction of a seaport in Kampot is set to begin this year two years after being approved thanks to an $18 million loan from the Asia Development Bank (ADB), according to officials. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21768/kampot-to-get-new-port/
World bank project in trouble before it starts
Between 2008 and 2015, the World Bank and German aid agency GIZ spent $13 million setting up eight social land concessions for thousands of the poorest Cambodians, doling out small farms they could use to pull themselves out of poverty and, after a few years, ...
Zsombor Peter and Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/world-bank-project-in-trouble-before-it-starts-108700/
Protesters hurl eggs at world bank office, promise to return
Residents and evictees from Phnom Penh’s Boeng Kak and Borei Keila neighborhoods returned to the World Bank’s country headquarters on Norodom Boulevard on Monday to hurl eggs at the front gate and demand that the international lender leave Cambodia. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/protesters-hurl-eggs-at-world-bank-office-promise-to-return-108550/
Cambodia and UNICEF reinvest in country’s future
In an effort to identify and address “key barriers that impede the realization of children’s rights in Cambodia,” the Cambodian government and UNICEF Cambodia officially signed a new Country Program Action Plan yesterday, entering a three-year partnership that will cost an estimated $65 million, according ...
Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21234/cambodia-and-unicef-reinvest-in-country---s-future/
ADB appoints Tongan to lead its operation in Cambodia
A Tongan national was appointed as Asian Development Bank’s director for Cambodia effective 01 February.Samiuela T. Tukuafu will lead ADB operations in Cambodia to support the country’s development goals of promoting inclusive growth and diversifying the economy. ...
Alpha Latu
http://nzkanivapacific.co.nz/2016/02/adb-appoints-tongan-to-lead-its-operation-in-cambodia/
ADB plans to provide 880 million USD financing to Cambodia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) plans to provide financing totally about 880 million US dollars to Cambodia for 2016 – 2018. According to a press release from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which was released yesterday. ...
Sok Chan
http://bit.ly/1PjBn8G