Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, first-vice president of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), defended Chinese president Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for Cambodia, asserting that it will not cause the country to fall into a debt trap, as some fear. Chanthol made the remarks at a luncheon event with Hong Kong chief executive John Lee in Phnom Penh yesterday (July 31), during the latter’s first official visit to Cambodia from July 30-31 to expand trade cooperation opportunities. The deputy prime minister called for stronger trade relations between Hong Kong and Cambodia. Highlighting the improvements in…
Author: Niem Chheng
The National Authority for Alternative Dispute Resolution (NADR) has signed two separate memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on cooperation in mediation and dispute resolution with the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC) and the National Commercial Arbitration Centre (NCAC). The agreements were signed by Minister of Justice Koeut Rith, head of NADR, with BAKC president Ly Chantola and NCAC president San Kiri, respectively, on July 30, according to a joint press release. The arrangements are valid for three years and will be renewed automatically if neither of the parties chooses to annul them. The MoUs were signed to facilitate…
Local authorities from the district to village levels throughout the country will receive training from the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC) to increase legal awareness on topics ranging from birth, marriage and death certificates to criminal and civil procedures. The training is being conducted under the association’s “Lawyer to the Community” project, which aims to disseminate legal knowledge and basic understanding of criminal and civil law. The initiative will also promote free defense and counseling services for the poor. The programme began last week in Kampong Thom province, according to the association. BAKC secretary-general Liv Sovanna told…
The Ministry of National Defense expressed condolences for the deaths of the two crewmen of the downed Harbin Z-9 helicopter, both found dead after a 17-day search. The two crewmen, Kheng Chaiyuth and Sun Phalla, were discovered near the crash site on July 29 and 30, respectively. The men had been on a training flight from Phnom Penh to Thma Da commune in Pursat province’s Veal Veng district when their chopper went missing during bad weather on July 12. “With this announcement, the national defense ministry extends our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. The sacrifice of the…
The Ministry of Interior has established a working group to monitor and evaluate the implementation of commune budgets to improve quality, effectiveness, transparency, accountability and inclusiveness. Civil society officials also advocate for commune funds to be spent on development beyond just roads. The decision, signed by minister Sar Sokha on July 26, states that the group comprises 18 members from institutions under the ministry and the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development (NCDD). The task force is responsible for overseeing the preparation of the annual list of recipients (bidders) at the capital and provincial administration levels. They will oversee the…
The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) has shared its successful experiences in setting up “Business Support Centres” to officials at the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC). The Kingdom is considering establishing such centres to facilitate investment in the Kingdom. The July 25-26 training session was organised by JETRO, said the CDC in a statement released earlier today. The training followed a request made by Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, first vice-president of the CDC, during a meeting with Marisa Haruta, representative of JETRO Phnom Penh, in Japan in May this year. During the meeting, Chanthol expressed his interest…
The Cambodia Tourism Marketing and Promotion Board (CTB), which is chaired by Minister of Tourism Sok Soken, has presented an action plan which it says was designed to rehabilitate the tourism sector. The plan includes immediate, short-term, medium-term and long-term activities. Soken presented the action plan at the July 25 Cambodia Tourism Revival workshop in Phnom Penh. He explained that for the past six months, the CTB has been focusing on engaging with international tourism markets, strengthening private sector connections and promoting the integration of Cambodia into tour packages. According to the minister, the Ministry of Tourism has organised several…
The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) initiative was launched 25 years ago in 1999. The purpose of the agreement was to benefit the economies, infrastructure, healthcare, education and security of the areas within the triangle, as well as support disaster management. The area of cooperation includes Ratanakkiri, Stung Treng, Kratie and Mondulkiri provinces of Cambodia and Attapeu, Salavan, Sekong and Champasak in Laos, as well as Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc in Vietnam. Senate president Hun Sen, who was involved in the process of devising the CLV-DTA initiative during his time as prime minister,…
The Royal Government Spokesperson Unit has reiterated that four Cambodian provinces will not be lost to Vietnam through the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV DTA). Widespread speculation that this may occur has circulated on social media, with four people arrested and charged with incitement in recent days. A statement from the unit released today confirmed that the four provinces – Ratanakkiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng and Kratie –will not be ceded to Vietnam, as alleged by some people. “The provinces will not be shared with neighbouring countries through the CLV DTA and formed into one territory, as claimed misconceived by some…