Cambodia growth to continue, but development faces shortfalls

Despite steady economic growth in recent years, Cambodia remains one of the least-developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region and faces the challenge of diversifying its economy and moving up the production value chain, the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said in its annual report yesterday. … Describing Cambodia as one of the least developed countries in the region, the ESCAP report notes that only 24 percent of Cambodians have access to electricity, 64 percent to clean water and 31 percent to proper sanitation. … But “an important concern,” according to the report, is that education in Cambodia is still in need of serious development. ESCAP said the literacy rate in Cambodia of 75 percent is still too low, particularly compared to its Asean counterparts, which range from 90 to 95 percent, except for Laos. …

Lauren Crothers, P. 20
http://The Cambodia Daily