Cambodia, U.S. sign emissions reduction agreement

English.news.cn   2013-05-31 21:06:06

PHNOM PENH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and the United States on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding on low emissions and climate resilient development in Cambodia, according to a press statement from the U.S. Embassy to Phnom Penh.
The deal was inked between Cambodian Minister of Environment Mok Mareth and Rebecca Black, Mission Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to Cambodia.
The agreement outlined specific areas for cooperation in the agriculture and forestry sectors and strengthening support for a greenhouse gas inventory, climate change capacity building, international coordination for green growth, and integrating climate change adaptation into green growth strategies, the statement said.
Cambodia was the 19th country to sign such deal with the United States, it said. Both countries developed this agreement as a product of President Obama's Global Climate Change Initiative. Other Asian countries partnering with the United States on such agreement included Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India.
"We are very excited about forging a new partnership with Cambodia's National Climate Change Committee to promote economic growth activities that minimize greenhouse gas emissions," said Black at the signing ceremony. "Climate change will continue to affect economic growth opportunities in Cambodia and around the world, and this new deal opens the door to identify and support the best practices for green growth."
Mok Mareth expressed his appreciation for the number of U.S. climate change initiatives in Cambodia and urged close cooperation in implementing concrete actions under the agreement, which is effective until Sept. 30, 2018.
Cambodia is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, according to the statement. Over the past 10 years, the country has made significant progress in addressing climate change challenges.
These included important policy and development activities such as the 2013-2030 National Policy and Strategic Development Plan on Green Development, which the Cambodian government launched in March.
"Due to the limited institutional, technical, and financial capacity to adequately address climate change in Cambodia, many challenges remain," it said. "The agreement reaffirms the pivotal role that climate change plays in economic development and lays the framework for future U.S. government programming in the environment sector."

Editor: An

Cambodia launches annual campaign to fight dengue fever

English.news.cn   2013-05-31 19:50:16

PHNOM PENH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Friday launched its annual campaign to fight against dengue fever as the rainy season comes.
More than 1,000 health officials, health-related nongovernmental organization representatives, and students gathered at a public park in front of Botum Vatey pagoda in Phnom Penh to mark the campaign launching.
At the event, health experts appealed to all parents, guardians and students to kill larvae by using the chemical substance known as Abate in water pots and other still water sources.
"Also, we have to fill in puddles around houses, which are sources of mosquitoes," said Dr. Ngan Chantha, director of the Health Ministry's national dengue control program, adding that people should sleep under mosquito nets and raise seven-colored fish in their water pots to eat larva.
He said during the first four months of this year, the country recorded 2,541 cases of dengue fever, down 31 percent from 3,668 cases at the same period last year.
During the period this year, the disease killed 15 children, down from 17 deaths over the same period last year, he said.
Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. The disease causes an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands, vomiting and rash.
Disease outbreak usually begins at the onset of rainy season in May and lasts until October.
Last year, the country recorded 42,362 dengue fever cases, killing 189 kids.

Editor: An

Heads of Confucius Institutes in Asia conclude meeting in Cambodia

English.news.cn   2013-05-31 17:25:03

PHNOM PENH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The 2013 Joint Conference of Confucius Institutes (CI) in Asia concluded here on Friday, drawing up a 3-year action plan (2013-2015) in order to broaden the development of Chinese language in Asia, according to a press release after the conference.
The 3-day conference, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, was attended by directors of 90 Confucius Institutes in 31 countries and regions in Asia.
"The heads of Confucius Institutes in Asia had drawn up the 3- year action plan in developing the Confucius Institutes in Asia," the statement said.
"The conference also laid out strategies to strengthen capacity for Chinese teachers who teach Chinese language in Asian countries, " it said. "In addition, it agreed to further develop teaching materials for Chinese language studies in each country."
Besides, as 2014 is the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Confucius Institute Headquarters, the conference decided to prepare an number of activities in order to celebrate the occasion, it said.
For Cambodia, the statement said, the Confucius Institute was committed to opening Chinese language classrooms nationwide by 2020 and would try to turn Chinese language into the most important international language in Cambodia.
"The conference comes to an end successfully," Chea Monirith, director of the Confucius Institute at Royal Academy of Cambodia, said at the closing ceremony, adding that the conference was very important to discuss plans to further promote Chinese language and culture abroad.
He said currently, the Confucius Institutes have been playing an important role in strengthening friendship relations and cooperation between China and countries around the globe.
Khlot Thyda, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the conference truly provided knowledge and experiences to the Confucius Institute in Cambodia and contributed to strengthening friendship relations between Cambodia and China.
"The Confucius Institute in Cambodia will continue to promote Chinese language among Cambodian people in order to further enhance Sino-Cambodian ties and cooperation," she said.
Wang Yongli, deputy director-general of Confucius Institute Headquarters, hailed excellent cooperation between Chinese directors of Confucius Institutes and foreign counterparts in providing Chinese language teaching to students in Asia.
"I'd like to urge all sides to continue good cooperation in order to help further promote Chinese language abroad and broaden friendship relations between China and foreign countries," he said.

Editor: Yang Lina

79 pct says Cambodia is headed in right direction: survey

English.news.cn   2013-05-30 20:12:24

PHNOM PENH, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Seventy-nine percent of Cambodian people said that Cambodia was headed in the right direction, a new survey conducted by the U.S.-backed International Republican Institute unveiled on Thursday.
The survey, conducted from Jan. 12 to Feb. 2, 2013, had been applied on 2,000 respondents who represented the Cambodian population, according to the survey.
It said that 79 percent of the respondents said the country was moving in the right direction because the government had built more roads, bridges, schools, health clinics, pagodas, irrigation systems and was working towards poverty reduction.
Twenty-one percent of the respondents said the nation was in the wrong direction, referring to corruption, illegal immigration, nepotism, damage to environment and fisheries, low crop prices for farmers, land grabbing and poverty, it said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said he was pleased to see the survey result.
"Based on the survey, I am really proud of my leadership," he said Thursday during the inauguration of new achievements at a Buddhist pagoda in eastern Kampong Cham province. "This truly shows that Cambodian people and my Cambodian People's Party are confident in me."
The survey was issued just months ahead of the country's general election, which will be held on July 28.
Some 9.67 million eligible Cambodians will cast their ballots in the upcoming polls for the 5th legislative term of the 123-seat parliament, according to the National Election Committee.
Eight parties will run in the election. Three major parties among them are the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
Analysts predict that Hun Sen's party will win a landslide victory in the upcoming polls.

Editor: Wang Yuanyuan

Credit at Cambodia's banks up 5% in Q1: central bank

English.news.cn   2013-05-30 17:27:13

PHNOM PENH, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Lending at Cambodia's commercial banks grew by 5 percent and deposit increased by 3 percent in the first quarter of this year, a report from the National Bank of Cambodia showed Thursday.
The report said that the kingdom's 33 commercial banks had lent a total of 6.1 billion U.S. dollars to customers by the end of March this year, up 5 percent from 5.79 billion U.S. dollars at the end of last year.
It said that about 32 percent of the loans went to trade sector, 10 percent to agriculture, 9 percent to manufacturing, 8 percent to construction, 6 percent to hotels and restaurants, 6 percent to mortgages and the remaining percentage went to financial institutions, real estate and personal borrowing.
On the deposit side, the report said that by March this year, the banks had received a total deposit of 6.29 billion U.S. dollars, up 3 percent from 6.09 billion U.S. dollars at the end of last year.
Nguon Sokha, director general of the National Bank of Cambodia, attributed the increases in loan and deposit to good economic situation in combination with stronger pbulic confidence in the banking industry.
"We project that for the whole year of 2013, the lending will grow around 32 percent and the deposit will be up about 30 percent, " she told Xinhua over telephone.
"The central bank will continue to strengthen the supervision of the commercial banks in order to ensure financial stability."
Cambodia has the population of about 14.5 million. Its banking sector has been serving about 1.6 million borrowers and 1.9 million depositors, said the central bank.

Editor: Yang Yi

Cambodia foresees mass protests without apology from main opposition leader

English.news.cn   2013-05-30 15:59:32

PHNOM PENH, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday that mass protests could break out nationwide if Kem Sokha, vice president of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, did not apologize for his denial of the existence of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison during the Democratic Kampuchea, or Khmer Rouge regime, from 1975-1979.
"Large scale demonstration can happen not only in Phnom Penh, but also in provinces, where Kem Sokha is present," the premier said during the inauguration of new achievements at a Buddhist pagoda in eastern Kampong Cham province.
"He (Kem Sokha) spoke without responsibility," Hun Sen said, adding that this was the individual conflict between Kem Sokha and Cambodian people, not the conflict between the ruling Cambodian People's Party and the opposition party.
"I'd like to suggest that if there are protests against him, all protests must be non-violent in order to maintain dignity and public order," he said.
Kem Sokha left Cambodia for the United States on Wednesday.
"The protest can be held when Kem Sokha returns to Cambodia," Hun Sen said.
Chhum Mey, president of the Victims Association of Democratic Kampuchea and one of the survivors from the Tuol Sleng prison, said Thursday that the association had set the deadline on June 3 for Kem Sokha to apologize for his denial of the existence of the Tuol Sleng prison.
"When the deadline comes and Kem Sokha has not come to the former Tuol Sleng prison for apology, we will stage a mass protest against him," he told Xinhua over telephone, adding that the protest date had not been determined yet.
He said Kem Sokha's remarks insulted people who lost lives at the prison and elsewhere in the country during the Khmer Rouge regime.
Phnom Penh's former Tuol Sleng prison was a main torture center during the regime, and around 14,000 people were killed at the center.
In February last year, the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) sentenced ex-chief of Tuol Sleng prison Kaing Guek Eav to life in prison for overseeing the deaths.
The apology demand was made after Kem Sokha said that the Tuol Sleng prison was an artifactial killing place displayed for photographs.
"If this place (Tuol Sleng prison) was truly Khmer Rouge, they would have demolished it before they left, not kept it to show everyone," Kem Sokha said in a short audio recording circulated by the government.
"If the Khmer Rouge killed a lot of people, they would not be stupid to keep it to show to everyone, they would destroy it to eliminate evidence. I believe that it was just staged," he said at his party's public forum.
However, the Cambodia National Rescue Party issued a statement earlier this week, stating that Kem Sokha has never denied the genocide, the tortures and the killings of Cambodian people such as that in Tuol Sleng prison, committed by the Khmer Rouge.
"A small part of Kem Sokha's speech has been recently picked up and twisted by a group of people to provide misinterpretation on the meaning of the speech," the statement said. "This manipulation is politically motivated as the general election is approaching."
Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general election on July 28.
Eight parties will run in the election, according to the National Election Committee. Three major parties, among them, are the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Cambodia National Rescue Party led by self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy, and the royalist Funcinpec Party headed by Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk.
Analysts predict that Hun Sen's party will definitely win a landslide victory in the upcoming polls.

Editor: Wang Yuanyuan

Asian youth gather in Cambodia to discuss peace, development

English.news.cn   2013-05-31 15:20:01

PHNOM PENH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The 2013 Asian Youth Forum opened here on Friday to exchange views on strengthening peace, stability and development through education, announced Hun Many, President of Union of Youth Federation of Cambodia.
The two-day forum brought together youth delegates from 22 countries of the Asian Youth Council, including Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Brunei, South Korea and Mongolia, he said.
"They would discuss challenges, share experiences and reflect their commitments to a significant and proactive role in building a culture of peace and development in the region in particular and the world at large," said Hun Many, son of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen said the forum provided a rare opportunity for Cambodian youth to share views on strengthening peace, stability and development in the region and the world, as well as share experiences and create regional network.
"I am really proud of Asian youth who are dynamically working together for the cause of peace, development and prosperity in each country, the region and the world," the premier said.
"This is the real spirit of cooperation and partnership that must take root among youth, the core force of development in the future."
He said the forum, held under the theme "Youth and Peace: Strengthening Peace, Stability and Development through Education", was right and timely in the context that the possibility of turmoil and civil war were threatening many countries and regions.
The recent experiences of Arab Spring and the ongoing civil wars in some countries would remind every youth to always remember their obligation and significance in protecting and maintaining the tree of peace, he added.
"Careless acceptance of irresponsible rhetoric and political propaganda from outside may bring about great danger to the whole society for the long term," the premier advised.
The forum was also attended by Dato' Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Toyo, President of the Asian Youth Council. At the end of the forum, the Asian Youth Council will adopt a Joint Declaration and present it to the Minister of Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

Editor: An

Cambodia's trade with foreign countries up 25 pct in four months

English.news.cn   2013-05-30 11:45:40

PHNOM PENH, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's trade volume with foreign countries had reached 5.12 billion U.S. dollars in the first four months of this year, a 25 percent rise compared with 4. 1 billion U.S. dollars over the same period last year, according to a report from the Ministry of Commerce's Camcontrol Department on Thursday.
During the January-April period this year, the country exported goods in equivalent to 2.13 billion U.S. dollars, up 28 percent. At the meantime, it imported products in the total value of 2.99 billion U.S. dollars, up 23 percent.
Khuon Savuth, chief of the Camcontrol Department's statistics division, said the remarkable growth was thanks to globally good economic situation and Cambodia's efforts in diversifying exports.
He said main products Cambodia exported were garments and footwear, rubber latex, milled rice, corn and cassava, while items the country imported included garment and textile raw materials, petroleum, construction materials, automobiles and motorcycles, consuming items, food and soft drinks, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics.
Cambodia's major trading partners are the United States, European countries, China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Last year, the country's total trade volume was 13.63 billion U. S. dollars, up 19 percent year-on-year, according to the Commerce Ministry.

Editor: Chen Zhi