Opposition Lawmakers Want ‘Social’ Land to Go to Farmers
May 10th, 2013, VOA, Agriculture & Agri-business, Business & Commercial Development, Economic Land Concessions, Farming, Industry, Land Tenure, Rice, Social Land Concessions
Cambodian lawmakers have passed a new law on agriculture, but critics say the law does not go far enough to protect the country’s farmers.
The law passed on Thursday evening, but not before debate at the National Assembly. …
During the debate opposition representatives called on the Cambodian government to stop providing land concessions to private companies—either for economic or “social” aims. So-called social land concessions are supposed to go toward the poor. But opposition lawmakers warn that they too can be abused by private companies. …
[Opposition Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker] Yim Sovann also said the government should create a fund of $100 million to protect rice farmers against price fluctuations. That money could come from revenues on casino tariffs, he said. …
Chan Sarun, a CPP government representative, told the Assembly that a $100-million fund is not possible. And he said the government has already banned land concessions, since May 2012. Some 50,000 hectares have been saved from private development since the ban, he said.
In fact, watchdog and rights groups have said many concession deals have continued, despite an announced ban by Prime Minister Hun Sen in May 2012.
Suy Heimkhemra
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/opposition-lawmakers-want-social-land-to-go-to-farmers/1657922.html
Work Begins on Controversial Cambodian Dam
May 7th, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Construction, Electricity, Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Hydroelectricity, Industry, Infrastructure, International Relations, Lakes/Rivers, Land Tenure, Water
As work begins on Cambodia’s biggest dam, those advocating against its construction have warned that the region’s rush for hydropower will have a disastrous effect on millions of people who rely on the Mekong River to survive.
Last month, workers began preparing an area in northeastern Cambodia for a huge hydropower project, the 400-megawatt Lower Se San 2 Dam. …
Scientists estimated the Lower Se San 2 Dam could reduce the total fish yield of the Mekong Basin by 9.3 percent.
“So it’s 9.3 percent of 2.1 million tons – which is a gigantic amount,” said Baran. “In other words, this expected loss represents around 200,000 tons per year, which is much more than the whole marine sector of Australia. And, nine times more than the annual inland fish catch in Germany or the U.S.” …
Meanwhile, work on the Lower Se San 2 Dam has started and thousands of people who live in the areas that will be submerged by the dam’s vast 300-square-kilometer reservoir have been told they will have to move. …
One of them is 37-year-old Pa Tou. He said none of the 400 ethnic minority families in Srekor village on the banks of the Se San River wants to leave. …
Pa Tou, who has three daughters, said that will not be possible at the relocation site, which is miles from the river. He said the land there is poor for farming – most of it is rocky or covered with trees – and there are no health clinics and no schools. He fears they will all be left much worse off.
Robert Carmichael
http://www.voanews.com/content/work-begins-on-controversial-hydropower-dam/1656035.html
World Bank Urged To Review Policies in Places Like Cambodia
April 12th, 2013, VOA, Disputed Land, Economic Land Concessions, Forests, International Relations, Land Tenure, Social Concerns
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. …
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/world-bank-urged-to-review-policies-in-places-like-cambodia/1639494.html
Cambodia Lacks Research Enough To Tackle Its Problems, Analysts Say
April 11th, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Domestic Investment, Economics, Foreign Investment, International Relations, Social Concerns
Not enough priority is given to research in Cambodia, threatening its long term development, economists and other experts say.
Larry Strange, executive director of the Cambodian Development Research Institute, says the country cannot plan for major reform, build its economy, or reduce poverty without proper analysis of its ongoing challenges. …
The low quality of Cambodia’s educational institutions, especially in higher education, along with limited investment in them, are also factors, Strange said. …
Cambodia’s investment in research is so low that it is not ranked by the World Bank. But according to government statistics, about 275 post-graduate students, about 2.2 percent, are currently studying research and development. This includes research in economics, agriculture, the environment and good governance.
Mak Ngoy, general director of the higher education department at the Ministry of Education, said that despite low government investment, it is committed to pushing for more research, and that funding has increased in recent years. That includes a World Bank project of $3.2 million to improve higher education and fund 31 research proposals from students in public and private universities. …
Theara Khoun
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/cambodia-lacks-research-enough-to-tackle-its-problems-analysts-say/1638656.html
Development Could Mean Loss of EU Trade Preference, Ambassador Says
April 1st, 2013, VOA, Agriculture & Agri-business, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Exports, Farming, International Relations, Rice, Technical Assistance, Trade
Cambodia could see less preferential economic treatment by Europe in coming years, as it graduates as a more developed country, the EU’s ambassador to Cambodia says.
In an interview with VOA Khmer in Phnom Penh, Ambassador Jean-Francois Cautain said Cambodia currently enjoys tariff exemptions under a scheme called Anything But Arms, which seeks to promote trade with lesser developed countries. But Cambodia’s status under that scheme could change soon with its growing economy, he said. …
The threshold for a nation to meet Least Developed Country status is a per capita gross domestic product of $1,000. Cambodia is currently at $900, with an economy growing nearly 7 percent per year. Cautain said other factors, such as a country’s openness and human capital also influence its status. …
Cambodia also needs to diversify its economy. Most of its exports come from garments, “which is OK, but not enough,” Cautain said. Better agriculture, including in the rice sector, is needed, he said. That means building the capacity to process rice in country, rather than exporting paddy rice to its neighbors.
Good governance and reduced corruption would also help, the ambassador said. In these areas, “there’s still a lot of work to do.” An improved environment would increase foreign direct investment. European investors are still not comfortable coming to Cambodia, which is still in a transition phase, where trade is supported by donors. That means there is a good basis from which Cambodia can develop itself, he said.
Theara Khoun
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/development-could-mean-loss-of-eu-trade-preference/1631336.html
Government Denies Reports on Mining Corruption and Hun Sen
March 29th, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Extractive Industries, Foreign Investment, Industry, Infrastructure, International Relations, Mining, Social Concerns
The Cambodian government on Thursday dismissed media reports in Australia linking Prime Minister Hun Sen to a mining company under investigation there for corruption.
Earlier this week, The Age newspaper reported on Australian documents that described officials from BHP Billiton seeking a special meeting with Hun Sen prior to being given mineral exploration rights in 2006.
The government’s Quick Reaction Unit, which deals with media, said in a statement Thursday the report was “exaggerated” and meant to “dishonor” Hun Sen ahead of the July national elections. …
In Washington, ‘Mekong Days’ Puts River in Focus
March 29th, 2013, VOA, Agriculture & Agri-business, Business & Commercial Development, Climate Change, Construction, Electricity, Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Environmental change, Fishing, Hydroelectricity, Infrastructure, International Relations, Lakes/Rivers, Social Concerns, Water
Advocacy groups, environmentalists and policy-makers have wrapped up five days of events surrounding Mekong River issues in Washington.
“Mekong Days,” a series of talks, films and other forums that ended Tuesday, highlighted issues in the region, where some 60 million people live.
The Mekong River, a major source of food for many in the region, is currently under increased pressure from hydropower dam projects and the potential impact of climate change. Environmental advocates say the dams could hurt fish stocks in the river, even as temperature and rainfall changes threaten agriculture and livestock. …
A recent study funded by USAID, “Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change,” found increasing threats to livestock, fisheries and other agriculture. …
At least 11 dams are currently planned for the lower Mekong, a major concern for fish populations that migrate up and down the river. China has built four dams upstream already, and Laos is in the process of building a dam in Xayaburi province, despite objections from Cambodian and Vietnam.
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/in-washington-mekong-days-puts-river-in-focus/1630640.html
Documentary Looks at Impact of Mekong Dams
March 22nd, 2013, VOA, Agriculture & Agri-business, Business & Commercial Development, Climate Change, Construction, Electricity, Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Environmental change, Fishing, Hydroelectricity, Infrastructure, International Relations, Lakes/Rivers, Social Concerns, Water
An updated documentary, “Where Have All the Fish Gone?,” examines the impacts of hydroelectric dams on the Mekong River.
The Xayaburi dam, which would produce hydropower for market, has become a divisive issue among Mekong River countries. Critics say it could severely damage ecosystems on which lower countries like Cambodia and Vietnam rely. It is one of 11 dams under consideration on the lower Mekong. …
Some 60 million people live along the Mekong River, relying on it for food and agriculture. The use of the river is supposed to be supervised by the Mekong River Commission, which has representatives from regional governments. …
Say Mony
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/documentary-looks-at-impact-of-mekong-dams/1626779.html
Multiple Skills Needed To Compete in a Future Asean, Economist Says
February 15th, 2013, VOA, Labor, News Source
Young Cambodians must develop diverse workplace skills if they are to compete in an integrated Asean, a leading economist and adviser to the government says.
“We have to make sure we are able to do multiple things if others are able to do just one,” the adviser, Sok Siphana, told “Hello VOA” Monday. “If they know only one language, we need to know two.” …
However, some callers to “Hello VOA” said that the lack of competitive spirit among students is not their fault, as they see around them the effects of nepotism and corruption. …
Say Mony
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/multiple-skills-needed-for-asean-competition/1603984.html
Investment Figures Show Billions of Dollars from China
January 16th, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Electricity, Energy, Foreign Investment, Hydroelectricity, International Relations, News Source
China has become Cambodia’s biggest investor, putting some $8.8 billion into the country over nearly two decades, according to online data from the government’s lead investment agency.
Those investment numbers, from the Council for the Development of Cambodia, from 1994 to 2011, do not take into account a number of newer investments, including a 400-kilometer rail line, a steel plant and sea port, worth another $11 billion. …
The second-largest investor was South Korea, followed in order by Malaysia, the UK and the US. Japan, the largest international donor to Cambodia, ranks No. 15 in investment, according to the CDC figures. …
Suy Heimkhemra
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/investment-figures-show-billions-of-dollars-from-china/1584253.html
Real Estate Market Showing Signs of Recovery
January 9th, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Construction, Foreign Investment, Industry, Infrastructure, Land Tenure, News Source, Real Estate, Tourism
Land prices in Cambodia continued to recover in the last half of 2012, especially in urban areas, following a collapse of the market in 2008, real estate investors say. …
Keuk Narin, vice president of Asia Real Estate Cambodia, told VOA Khmer that commercial land prices along Phnom Penh’s main boulevards, Monivong and Norodom, have gone from $3,000 to $4,000 per square meter and in some cases as high as $5,000 per square meter. …
Suy Heimkhemra
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/real-estate-market-showing-signs-of-recovery/1580588.html
Fired Phone Company Workers File Complaint
January 9th, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Foreign Investment, Industry, Labor, News Source, Telecommunications
One of Cambodia’s most active unions has filed a complaint against a Thai mobile phone provider, claiming it laid off more than 50 staff members without warning and without compensation.
The complaint was filed with the Ministry of Labor against Mfone, a company that belongs to former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, after the Free Trade Union received a complaint from about half of the 54 fired workers. …
Heng Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/fired-phone-company-workers-file-complaint/1579895.html
US Congressional Budget Compromise a Good Lesson for Cambodia, Observers Say
January 4th, 2013, VOA, Economics, International Relations, News Source
The US Congress has averted the “fiscal cliff” by passing a number of budget agreements, and Cambodian politicians and observers say the experience is a good example of compromise between two sides. …
Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and head of the National Assembly’s finance committee, told VOA Khmer the compromise was a “necessary step” for the US economic system, which was at the heart of the global financial crisis in 2008. …
Yim Sovann, a lawmaker and spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said the US agreement, which continued until a deadline for automatic tax increases and spending cuts, was possible because US lawmakers prioritized the national interest and the interests of the global community—something Cambodia could learn from. …
US Seeks Stronger Ties After Obama Visit
January 4th, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Foreign Investment, International Relations, News Source, Trade
The United States is looking forward to making sure the US-Cambodian relations grow stronger after the visit of US President Barack Obama to Cambodia in November, according to US Embassy spokesman Sean McIntosh.
In a recent interview with VOA Khmer, McIntosh said Obama has decided to make Southeast Asia and Asia a closer partner to the US. “The US core interest is in economic prosperity, stability and security here,” he said. “And I think it also speaks specifically to Cambodia because the United States and Cambodia have just celebrated over 60 years of diplomatic relations.” …
Reasey Poch
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/us-seeks-stronger-ties-after-obama-visit/1577161.html
With Election on the Horizon, Politicians Defend Land Policies
January 3rd, 2013, VOA, Disputed Land, Economic Land Concessions, Farmland, Land Tenure, News Source
Cambodian politicians have begun a public campaign to defend their records on land policies, as they prepare for the run-up to July elections.
Politicians from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, as well as the opposition Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties, have said they will give free land titles and not take land or tax from farmers. …
City Orders Removal of a Dozen Newspaper Stands
January 1st, 2013, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Domestic Investment, Economics, News Source
Phnom Penh authorities have ordered 12 newspaper kiosks to leave a major road in the capital, saying they need them to relocate for 12 months for construction but giving them no other place to go.
Owners of the kiosks, which are popular in the sale of papers around the capital, said the order would mean the end of their business, and journalism advocates say the closure will mean less access to information. …
Kong Sothanarith
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/city-orders-removal-of-a-dozen-newspaper-stands/1575403.html
Regional Workers Need More Protection, Advocate Says
December 29th, 2012, VOA, International Relations, Labor, News Source
With Thailand threatening to oust undocumented workers, Asean must do more as a region to protect its migrant workers, a leading rights advocate says.
More and more workers are crossing the borders between Asean countries, and the region looking to lower trade barriers, so workers need protection more than ever, Ya Navuth, executive director of the rights group Caram, told “Hello VOA” on Thursday. …
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/regional-workers-need-more-protection-advocate-says/1574026.html
Social Media Changing Cambodia’s Information Landscape
December 25th, 2012, VOA, Industry, News Source, Telecommunications
Changes in demography and technology have altered the behavior of Cambodian media consumers, with youth increasingly using social media platforms to share news and information.
Pen Sophal, a graduate student in media management at Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology, says print and electronic media outlets in Cambodia must now find new ways to deliver content.
Cambodians aged 35 or younger are the majority of the population, he told “New Voices” in an interview. …
Sothearith Im
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/cambodia-social-media-changing-cambodian-information-landscape/1571656.html
Illegal Cambodian Workers in Thailand Could Be Deported
December 25th, 2012, VOA, Economics, International Relations, Labor, News Source
Thailand is warning it will expel 1.5 million illegal workers from the country, a move that could affect around 160,000 Cambodians.
Rights workers in Cambodia say the migrant laborers deserve assistance from both Thai and Cambodian authorities to help them work and travel legally. …
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/cambodia-illegal-khmer-workers-in-thailand-could-be-deported/1571654.html
Major Gap Emerging Between Labor Market and Job Seekers
December 4th, 2012, VOA, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Foreign Investment, Garment Industry, Industry, Labor, News Source, Textiles, Tourism
PHNOM PENH – As more and more Cambodians enter the job market, with a growing population of young people, there still remain plenty of job opportunities with foreign investors at home, according to a new study by the Ministry of Labor. But people either don’t know where to find them, or are training for the wrong thing, experts say.
“A lot of investments, especially from Japan, are coming, so we will need more workers to work for them,” said Pich Sophoan, a secretary of state for the Ministry of Labor. “Investors always tell me that their companies need people to work,” he said at the second annual job fair, held by the National Employment Agency in Phnom Penh recently. “So I don’t agree with people saying that they couldn’t find jobs in Cambodia.” …
Suy Heimkhemra
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/major-gap-emerging-between-labor-market-and-job-seekers/1557639.html