Aid and development
Cambodia inaugurates Japan-funded bridge across Mekong River
Cambodia on Monday inaugurated the Japan-funded Tsubasa Bridge across the Mekong River. The suspension bridge, built at a cost of ¥119.4 million, allows National Route 1 to cross the Mekong River. At 2,215 meters, it is the longest bridge in Cambodia. ...
The Japan Times News Staff
http://bit.ly/1N0vCQV
Bridge's shadow falls on river ferry community
Before the sun casts its light on the Neak Loeung ferry port every morning, commuters begin arriving in buses and cars, on motorbikes and horse-carts. At the crest of the riverbank, chains slung between concrete pillars bring them to a halt. And there, even before their ...
Matt Blomberg and Ouch Sony
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/ferriedaway/
IFC gives Acleda a $110M loan boost
The International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank, and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) announced Thursday that they will provide Acleda Bank with a $110 million loan to finance rural and micro-businesses, especially agricultural enterprises. ...
Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/ifc-gives-acleda-110m-loan-boost
World Bank may be blind to harm of financial investments: Oxfam
The World Bank’s private sector arm may be doing more harm than good when it invests in private equity firms, banks and other financial intermediaries, global development group Oxfam said in a report on Wednesday. In one project indirectly sponsored by the bank’s International Finance Corporation ...
Anna Yukhananov
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/01/us-worldbank-investments-idUSKBN0MS5IJ20150401
Cambodia inaugurates China-funded Mekong bridge, road
Cambodia inaugurated a 1.73-km Mekong River bridge, along with a 143-km road, here on Wednesday in a bid to boost economic development and reduce poverty in this far northeastern region. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://bit.ly/1Do883N
KOICA aid program under way
After a kickoff ceremony last Wednesday, a five-year development project in 30 villages, funded and supervised by South Korea’s International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) begins work this week. ...
Sean Teehan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/koica-aid-program-under-way
Japan awards Cambodia $230m in infrastructure aid
The Japanese government on Monday awarded nearly US$230 million in grant aid and loans to Cambodia. The loans are for a city transmission and distribution system expansion project in Phnom Penh and improvement of National Road No. 5, linking Phnom Penh and the Thai border. ...
Bangkok Post News Staff
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/512492/japan-awards-cambodia-230m-in-infrastructure-aid
New $2.9m mosque inaugurated in Phnom Penh
At the edge of a sand-filled Boeng Kak lake in Phnom Penh on Friday, Prime Minister Hun Sen inaugurated the country’s newest—and largest—mosque, which was privately funded by a Dubai-based businessman at a cost of $2.9 million. ...
Khuon Narim and Mech Dara
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/new-2-9m-mosque-inaugurated-in-phnom-penh-80904/
Capital shortage main obstacle for Cambodia in connectivity development: official
A lack of capital is the main obstacle for Cambodia to expedite connectivity development and the Southeast Asian country hopes that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund will fill the shortage, a spokesman said. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://bit.ly/1HSN1UT
Chinese bank an opportunity for aid reform, Fulbright scholar says
China’s newly proposed, yet controversial, regional investment bank could be an opportunity for Cambodia to prove it can use foreign aid more effectively, a Cambodian Fulbright scholar says. ...
Sophat Soeung
http://bit.ly/1EFcuyk
UN agency plans office in capital
A United Nations development agency will open a new office in Phnom Penh following a meeting yesterday with Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong, an official has said. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/un-agency-plans-office-capital
ADB president: China-led bank potential partner, not rival
The president of the Asian Development Bank says a proposed Chinese-led regional bank is a potential partner instead of a rival and the ADB is talking with Beijing to share its experience. Takehiko Nakao’s comments came after Washington softened its opposition to the Chinese-proposed Asian Infrastructure ...
Joe Mcdonald
http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/ADB-president-China-led-bank-potential-partner-6154049.php
‘Development’ a dirty word, survey finds
After admitting there were “major problems” with its resettlement projects earlier this month, the World Bank has come under fire from Boeung Kak lake residents in a new report from a human rights group. The report by the International Accountability Project (IAP), titled Back to Development, ...
Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/development-dirty-word-survey-finds
Cambodian PM says AIIB very attractive to countries in Europe
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is very attractive to rich countries, particularly in Europe. The prime minister’s remarks came after Germany, France and Italy followed the suit of Britain in deciding to join AIIB as founding ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://bit.ly/1AE7EzM
China-funded road work begins in northwest Cambodia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday broke ground for the construction of a 174-kilometer national road No. 58 under Chinese financial support. Road No. 58 stretches from Banteay Meanchey province, which shares an international border with Thailand, to neighboring Uddor Meanchey province to the ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/china-funded-road-work-begins-in-northwest-cambodia-8317
Villagers, police face off in dispute over road expansion
About 100 villagers from Boeng Chhouk village in Phnom Penh’s Russei Keo district blocked officials and workers on Tuesday from bringing in heavy machinery to begin work on a road expansion that would destroy some of their homes. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/villagers-police-face-off-in-dispute-over-road-expansion-79974/
Italy confirms plan to join China-led bank
Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance has confirmed the country’s intention to become a member of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), despite pressure from the US on its western allies not to join. ...
The Local Italy News Staff
http://www.thelocal.it/20150317/italy-to-join-china-led-development-bank-report
Japan to send voter registration experts to Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday returned from an international disaster management conference in Japan, where he secured a promise from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to help Cambodia with voter registration once new election laws come into effect, an official said. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/japan-to-send-voter-registration-experts-to-cambodia-79871/
US losing by pressuring nations not to join Asia bank
For months, the Obama administration has been putting pressure on its allies, such as Australia, Japan and South Korea, not to join the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which Washington sees as a potential rival to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, which are ...
Chen Weihua
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2015-03/16/content_19817978.htm
More funds to fight climate change
The European Union yesterday pledged an additional €6 million to the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance Programme, as the 10-year plan, first implemented in 2010, entered its second phase of development. ...
Rebecca Moss
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/more-funds-fight-climate-change
Cambodia on verge of transitioning from low-income to middle-income country: ADB chief
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao said here Tuesday that Cambodia is on the verge of transforming from a low-income to a middle-income country. The middle-income nation is defined by the GDP (gross domestic product) per capita between 1,045 U.S. dollars and 12,746 U.S. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://bit.ly/1Eal4qY
No more ADB funding to finish stalled railway project
ប្រធានធនាគារអភិវឌ្ឍន៍អាស៊ីដែលមកធ្វើទស្សនកិច្ច លោក តាកេហ៊ីកុ ណាកាវ (Takehiko Nakao) បានមានប្រសាសន៍កាលពីថ្ងៃអង្គារថា នឹងមិនមានប្រាក់ថែមទៀតពីធនាគារនេះដើម្បីបញ្ចប់គម្រោងដែលជាប់ គាំងនិងក្ស័យធន ដើម្បីស្ថារបណ្តាញផ្លូវដែកចាស់របស់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា គឺគម្រោងមានទឹកប្រាក់១៤២លានដុល្លារ ដែលត្រូវគេចាត់ទុកថាជាការផ្តួចផ្តើមហេដ្ឋារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធដ៏ សំខាន់។ ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/no-more-adb-funding-to-finish-stalled-railway-project-79470/
ADB chief pledges continued support to Cambodia for socio-economic development
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao on Tuesday pledged to provide continued support to Cambodia for socio-economic development, a Cambodian spokesman said. He said the nation’s poverty rate had fallen from 53 percent in 2004 to 18 percent in 2014. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://bit.ly/1BvKheC
Business input sought on use of donor funds
Business has been encouraged to have more input into the allocation of donor money spent on projects aiming to boost trade in the Kingdom. Speaking during a panel discussion yesterday at a conference on government-private sector partnership, representatives from both government and development agencies said the ...
Chan Muyhong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business-input-sought-use-donor-funds