WHILE investments from the Middle East into Cambodia are expected to increase over the next few years, the central bank here currently has no plans to launch Islamic banking services. Recent events like Qatar airway’s Doha-Phnom Penh flights, which launched earlier this month, have been expected <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/no-plans-for-islamic-banking-services-yet/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

CANADIA BAnk And JApAn-bAsed Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ signed A memorAndum of understAnding (MoU) on WednesdAy Agreeing to work together to tAp the flow of JApAnese investors into the Kingdom. The MoU wAs signed by CAnAdiA BAnk chief executive officer MichAel Lor And MAsAto MiyAchi, the generAl mAnAger <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/megA-bAnk-joins-forces-with-cAnAdiA/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

Bokor Mountain: The Bokor resort located on the top of Bokor mount in Kampot, on May 3rd, was inaugurated as the government believes it capable of propelling the local economy into greater growth. The project includes three asphalt roads of a total 49 krn along with the five-star Thansur (heaven) Bokor Highland Resort, which <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/bokor-resort-helps-attract-more-tourists-in-kampot/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

About 3,000 gArment workers from two fActories thAt supply clothes to internAtionAl brAnds Levi StrAuss, H&Amp;M And GAp continued protesting for higher wAges yesterdAy in Phnom Penh’s MeAnchey district, before mArching to the Ministry of SociAl AffAirs. Upon Arriving At the ministry, workers employed by the <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/workers-At-fActories-supplying-mAjor-brAnds-continue-protests/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The AustrAliAn government yesterdAy sAid it hAs been AwAre of poor working conditions And inAppropriAte surveying methods used on CAmbodiA’s rAilwAy rehAbilitAtion project since FebruAry And hAd ordered thAt the project’s pArtners investigAte the mAtters. “The AustrAliAn Government wAs Alerted to possible concerns About workplAce heAlth <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/AustrAliAn-govt-ordered-rAilwAy-investigAtion/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The share price of the Phnom Penh Water Supply authority (PPWSa), the only stock so far to trade on Cambodia’s recently launched bourse, fell yesterday to the lowest price since its first day of trading nearly three months ago. at the day’s close, stock in PPWSa <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/water-supply-stock-falls-back-to-initial-value/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Slowly but steadily, demand to do cross-border business in Chinese yuan is pushing its way into one of asia’s dollar-dominated strongholds. as China continues to liberalise the yuan &ndash; or at least hint at when some capital controls could be lifted &ndash; Cambodian businesses that import <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/push-for-trade-in-yuan-increasing/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Loans and deposits at Cambodia’s 32 commercial banks rose by more than 30 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively, year-on-year in the first half of 2012, which the central bank governor and economists said reflected the growth in economic activities even as export growth <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/loans-deposits-mirroring-growth/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Trade between Vietnam and Cambodia exceeded US$1.9 billion dollars in the first seven months of this year, the High Quality Vietnamese Goods Business association said yesterday. Speaking at a news conference, an association official said Vietnamese exports to Cambodia came to $1.6 billion in the seven <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/cambodia-and-vietnam-trade-continues-to-grow-in-2012-2/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The AmbAssAdor of AfricAn country KenyA, RichArd Titus EkAi, told Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on WednesdAy thAt he would like to see direct flights between Phnom Penh And NAirobi. Sok An met KenyAn AmbAssAdor EkAi At his office to discuss the initiAtive regArding direct flights <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/kenyA-wAnts-flights-And-rice-imports/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

As buyers for internAtionAl clothing brAnds yesterdAy prAised the renewAl of An Agreement Aimed At reducing strikes in the gArment sector, lAbor unions And fActory owners sAid thAt only proper implementAtion would determine the Agreement’s effectiveness. Modeled After An eArlier pAct from 2010 to prevent work <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/buyers-lAud-renewAl-of-industriAl-relAtions-Agreement/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

An AustrAliAn compAny working towArds mining gold from the OkvAu deposit in Mondulkiri province, currently estimAted At 729,000 ounces, expects to employ more thAn 1,000 locAl people during the mine’s construction phAse And 500 in the   longer term. RenAissAnce MinerAls mAnAging director Justin TremAin told the <A href='https://opendevelopmentcAmbodiA.net/km/news/gold-struck-in-mondulkiri/ ' clAss='cAmbodiA-color'>...A>

The key to lifting people out of poverty could be found in the setting up of farming cooperatives, the country director of the World Food Program said on Friday, which was also World Food Day. Jean-Pierre de Margerie, country director of the World Food Program, said <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/cooperatives-key-to-help-farmers-combat-hunger/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency (CRRT) will host a one-day National Conference Nov. 2 on the Best Practice of Governance in Extractive Industries and Revenue Management. The conference, to be attended by representatives from the association of South East asia Nations (aSEaN), will also include representatives <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/cambodian-oil-transparency-group-sponsors-annual-conference/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The exports of garments and textiles from Southeast asian nation of Cambodia grew to US$ 4.61 billion, up nine percent over total textiles and garment exports worth US$ 4.24 billion made in 2011, according to The Phnom Penh Post report. However, the rise in garment <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/cambodias-garment-exports-grow-in-2012/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Between 2008 and 2012, Cambodia’s spending on public infrastructure amounted to about US$2.5 billion &mdash; a sum an opposition politician says is too low and is ineffectively put to use. In his opening remarks at the seventh Cambodia Outlook Conference, Prime Minister Hun Sen said public <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/infrastructure-spending-rises/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Malaysia-based Hibiscus Petroleum Berhad has tied up with Rex International Holding Pte Ltd to participate in exploration opportunities in Cambodia and 10 other countries across the asia-Pacific region, according to a statement released last Thursday. Hibiscus’s wholly owned subsidiary Orient Hibiscus Sdn Bhd and Rex International <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/joint-venture-will-take-part-in-oil-explorations/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Cambodian export values increased more than 21 per cent in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, and officials said the rise was a positive sign for the Kingdom’s economic growth. according to the Ministry of Commerce’s export data <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/export-values-up-21-per-cent/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

Because Cambodia’s youth has not focused enough on studying technical or engineering subjects, the Kingdom now faces a lack of human resources and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports plans to reform the country’s education system, according to the minister in charge. Minister Im Sethy <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/kingdom-lacks-engineers-minister/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>

The Kirilo No.3 Hydro-power Station, located in the KOH Kong Province of Cambodia, was recently put into operation. The ribbon cutting ceremony of the Project was held on February 23, 2013 in the power station area. The Project was investigated and designed by HYDROCHINa Mid-South <a href='https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/km/news/kirilo-hydro-station-goes-online/ ' class='cambodia-color'>...a>