Aid and development
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
City stalls as Chroy Changva families demand intervention
About 50 people with claims to land being developed in Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changva peninsula protested in front of City Hall on Monday and delivered a petition on behalf of more than 100 families demanding intervention in their dispute with the Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation ...
Campaign aims to boost Adult Literacy
UNESCO and the Ministry of Education on Monday launched a two-month joint campaign to raise the adult literacy rate to 84.4 percent by the end of the year by airing television and radio spots to encourage enrollment in after-school literacy classes. ...
Hul Reaksmey and Ben Woods
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/campaign-aims-to-boost-adult-literacy-78943/
Mekong countries, Japan eye new development strategy beyond 2015
The leaders of Japan and five Southeast Asian countries along the Mekong River plan to craft a new strategy in July for Tokyo to contribute to sustainable development of the Mekong region beyond 2015, a senior Japanese official said Thursday. “Taking this opportunity from this ...
Bangkok Post News Staff
http://www2.bangkokpost.com/news/general/478989/mekong-countries-japan-eye-new-development-strategy-beyond-2015
EU launches 11 mln USD education capacity development project in Cambodia
The European Union on Monday launched the second phase education capacity development project worth 11 million U.S. dollars in Cambodia, aiming at strengthening the skills of educators. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://bit.ly/1L9DgCj
Parties split on election ‘insult’ ban;Rainsy wants new word
The appropriate scope of a controversial proposed ban on NGOs “insulting” political parties in election campaigns on Monday continued to divide the CPP and CNRP during talks to amend the nation’s election law, with the negotiating teams deciding to pass the issue on to their ...
Alex Willemyns and Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/parties-split-on-election-insult-ban-rainsy-wants-new-word-78109/
IFAD to pledge $52M for program
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) yesterday unveiled a $52 million plan to help Cambodia’s government develop policies to assist poor farmers to improve agricultural productivity. ...
Eddie Morton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/ifad-pledge-52m-program
CPP youth group, road safety NGO launch helmet campaign
A CPP-aligned youth group and a regional road-safety NGO on Tuesday launched a $1.2 million, two-year pilot program to educate Cambodians about the importance of wearing helmets while driving or riding as passengers on motorbikes. ...
Khuon Narim and Max Weinstein
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cpp-youth-group-road-safety-ngo-launch-helmet-campaign-77747/