World Bank Urged To Review Policies in Places Like Cambodia
The World Bank is under pressure to review some of its policies around the world to ensure that in countries like Cambodia it is not funding the wrong projects. In a discussion at George Washington University this week, panelists said the World Bank is needed for international challenges of land tenure and food security. … A $28-million World Bank project for land titles in 2006 failed to give land titles to villagers at Boeung Kak. But Tep Vanny, an activist for evicted residents in that development project, said the Bank’s announcement to freeze aid in 2011 was effective in moving government policy. Following the funding freeze, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced he would set aside more than 12 hectares for resettlement on the 133-hectare development. However, that land has not been fully given up to former residents. Critics fault local authorities for the failure. …
