The government is exploring options to manage the risks associated with the use of construction materials which use asbestos, an extremely hazardous fibrous mineral that poses grave health risks. Among the options on the table is a total ban, or the introduction of regulations governing its use. The use of asbestos is completely banned in 68 countries and territories worldwide, including the UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea and the EU. The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction held a January 27 consultation workshop to address the risks associated with asbestos use in the construction sector. Its objective was…
Author: Niem Chheng
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and the UN in Cambodia have shared the progress of reforms in Cambodia’s banking and microfinance sector. The two organisations launched an initiative in November 2023 to address concerns about over-indebtedness and ensure responsible and inclusive financial practices. In a January 28 joint statement, the NBC-UN high-level multi-stakeholder dialogue announced that it has reviewed 22 of the priority actions which were adopted during the inaugural high-level multi-stakeholder meeting in July 2024. Four were assessed as completed, 15 as in progress and three have just been initiated. The statement explained that the actions were designed…
The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has revealed that Lieutenant Colonel Sok Songha, head of the Anti-Drug Crimes Office at the Takeo Provincial Police Headquarters, who was recently detained by the court, had been accepting bribes from drug traffickers for at least four years. The Takeo provincial court originally stated that Songha, 38, had committed crimes of bribery and abuse of power in Takeo Province between 2023 and 2024. It alleged that he took under-the-table payments from a drug trafficker identified as Sok Kea, also known as Seng Sokkea, aged 36. Sok Kea is currently detained in Kandal Provincial Prison. According to…
The authorities have been urged to respond to a recent increase in online scams involving the fraudulent use of QR codes. Some of the scams involve people using images of deceased or critically ill individuals as a pretext for asking for donations, while a recent case featured a scammer who posed as an employee of Electricité du Cambodge (EDC). On January 25, the Department of Anti-Technology Crimes sent a suspect to court for impersonating an EDC staff member to access and transfer funds from the bank accounts of two victims. The total amounts stolen were approximately $6,500 and 2 million…
The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has reiterated that it will not tolerate interference in the Kingdom’s internal affairs and will never trade sovereignty for aid or privileges. The ruling party reaffirmed this stance during its 45th Central Committee Convention, held on January 25–26 at the party’s headquarters in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district. The party’s policies serve as the framework for governing the country under its leadership. “The convention actively promotes the implementation of key foreign policy directions, including adhering to an independent foreign policy based on international law and national interests. It upholds the principles of the UN Charter and…
The US and Cambodia commemorated the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations on January 24. The two nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the bonds of friendship for their mutual benefit, with the resumption of military cooperation firmly in the spotlight. Celebrations were held at the National Museum in Phnom Penh, where more than a hundred looted artefacts are stored after their repatriation from US museums and private collections, with the help of US authorities. The celebrations were attended by Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts,…
Since its inception in 2006, the “Mine Clearance for Results” project has successfully cleared 384 square kilometres of mine-contaminated land, directly benefiting more than 1.2 million people. This achievement was highlighted during the 2024 End-of-Year Clearing for Results Project Board Meeting, organised by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) and the UNDP today, January 23. Senior Minister Ly Thuch, CMAA first vice-president, represented Prime Minister Hun Manet at the meeting. He presented the proud results of the Kingdom’s efforts in mine action. Tuch announced that from 1992 to 2024, Cambodia cleared 3,297 square kilometres of land that…
The first cooperation project to be carried out since the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Cambodia and Japan came into effect took place on January 22, when the embassy of Japan presented 29 medical incinerators to the Ministry of Health. The incinerators will each be installed at a separate hospital, across 10 provinces. The handover ceremony was attended by Ueno Atsushi, ambassador of Japan, and Minister of Health Chheang Ra. According to Ueno, the grant was part of the “Project for the Improvement of Infectious Waste Management” with a total funding value of 436 million Japanese Yen (over $2.7 million). The…