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Cambodia launches cassava development project under China, UNDP support

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 10:19 DAP

PHNOM PENH, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia launched Tuesday the second phase of cassava development project under the support of China and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Teng Lao, secretary of state of Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, said the second phase of the project, which will last until September 2014, was made possible with the funding of 400,000 U.S. dollars from China. "It aims to help a core group of cassava farmers, processors and exporters to meet the quality and quantity requirements to be able to export more processed cassava to China, thus generating more revenue and employment opportunities for Cambodian smallholders in rural areas,"he said.

Cambodia and China signed a Protocol on the Exports of Cambodian Cassava to Chinese Market in December 2010, under which China allowed Cambodia to export its standardized cassava chips to China.

Teng Lao said cassava is the second agricultural crop in Cambodia and plays a very important role in Cambodia's agriculture and economic development.

He said last year, the country grew cassava crop on an area of 337,440 hectares, producing about 8 million tons of fresh cassava. "About 50 percent of fresh cassava, 40 percent of dry cassava and 10 percent of cassava powder were sold to Vietnam and Thailand, "he said."And Vietnam and Thailand re-sell those cassava products to international markets, particularly China."

Agriculture official and project coordinator Ratana Norng said the cassava sector might generate between 200-300 million U.S. dollars worth of"informal"export revenues a year.

Lu Zhouxiang, first secretary at the department of international trade and economic affairs at China's Ministry of Commerce, said at the event that in the first phase of the project, China had contributed 212,000 U.S. dollars to support 30 Cambodian officials to train in China's Hainan province on the cassava cultivation techniques in late 2011 and early 2012.

"Based on the successful results of the first phase, the second phase project will help move Cambodian producers, processors and exporters of cassava up the value chain," she said."It is our hope that this project will contribute to the Cambodia' s efforts in capacity building, economic diversification and poverty reduction. "

Setsuko Yamazaki, country director of UNDP to Cambodia, said that currently, Cambodian cassava farmers, processors and exporters are facing enormous constraints such as price distortions in neighboring countries, lack of information on price and quality criteria of importing markets and lack of access to technology. "Though cassava has become the second largest agricultural crop in term of income, employment, hectares cultivated and exports, there is very little technical assistance support provided to the sector,"she said.

She added that under the project, UNDP would give particular attention to environment sustainability of cassava cultivation, improved standard quality to promote raw and processed cassava exports to China and the ultimate benefits and sustainability for the poor.

Setsuko said Cambodia is now the seventh largest producer of cassava in Asia and projected that the country would move to the fifth largest producer following Thailand, Indonesia, India and China by 2018.

23 Cambodian garment workers injured in kiosk collapse

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 10:18 DAP

PHNOM PENH, May 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 23 workers at Top World garment factory, owned by Hong Kong investors, in the capital city 's Meanchey district were injured on Monday when a kiosk collapsed into lake in the factory's complex, municipal police chief Chuon Sovan said.

He said the kiosk, built in the lake, used to be the place where workers relax and have their daily lunch.

"It fell into the water at noon time when workers had lunch," he told reporters after the accident. "Some 23 workers were injured in the accident."

Police said the collapse of the kiosk with concrete floor and iron zinc roof was probably due to old building that lacks solid foundations.

It was the second accident involving Cambodian garment workers in less than a week. On Thursday last week, there was a partial collapse of a concrete ceiling in Wing Star Shoes, a Taiwanese- owned factory, in Kampong Speu province, which left two workers dead and nine seriously injured.

Van Sou Ieng, president of the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC), appealed on Friday to all factories in the country to focus on safety standards in order to avoid similar accidents in the future.

He said GMAC would convince a meeting with all its members on May 28 in order to disseminate measures to prevent such incident from happening in the future.

Garment industry is the country's largest income source, representing more than 80 percent of the country's exports.

A latest report by the Ministry of Commerce showed that currently, the country has about 500 garment and footwear factories employing some 510,600 workers.

Last year, the country exported garment products equivalent to 4.6 billion U.S. dollars, up 8 percent year on year.

Cambodian Red Cross lauds China's humanitarian assistance

Monday, 20 May 2013 14:18 DAP

PHNOM PENH, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Red Cross President Bun Rany, wife of Prime Minister Hun Sen, on Monday expressed her gratitude to the Chinese government and the Red Cross Society of China for actively assisting Cambodia in humanitarian activities.

Speaking at a meeting with outgoing Ambassador of China to Cambodia Pan Guangxue, Bun Rany said China is not only leading in helping Cambodia in the building of roads, bridges, irrigation system and electricity production, but also in providing humanitarian assistance to Cambodia in all difficult times.

"Whenever Cambodia faces difficulties, for instance, from drought or flood, China has always stayed with us and provided us emergency relief aid to help Cambodian people who are in need," she said.

She also recalled the Chinese emergency relief assistance in total of about 10 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia in 2011 when Cambodia suffered the worst from floods that killed about 250 people at that time.

"That truly reflects the generous support of the government and people of China to Cambodian people," she said. "Cambodian people will never forget China's generous donations to them whenever they face difficulties."

Meanwhile, Ambassador Pan hailed good relations and cooperation between the Red Cross Society of China and the Cambodian Red Cross in humanitarian activities.

He said China and Cambodia are like "brothers', reiterating that China would continue helping Cambodia in social and economic development as well as humanitarian activities for a better livelihood for Cambodian people.

Pan also expressed his gratitude to Cambodia for its staunch support for China on issues related to China's core interests.

Cambodia's opposition party stages 2nd protest to demand election reforms ahead of July's polls

Monday, 20 May 2013 10:37 DAP

PHNOM PENH, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia National Rescue Party ( CNRP), the kingdom's main opposition party, held the second peaceful protest on Monday to demand election reforms and return of its self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy ahead of a general election in July.

Some 2,500 protesters gathered at the capital's Freedom Park, holding posters read "Support U.N. recommendations," "Change the National Election Committee," and "No Sam Rainsy, No Free and Fair Election."

Speaking through a microphone to the rally, Kem Sokha, CNRP's vice-president, said the 2nd protest was to demand the change of key members at the National Election Committee, saying that they are biased towards the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The protesters also appealed to the National Election Committee to accept the recommendations of Surya P. Subedi, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to Cambodia, who has urged election reforms, and called for an audit of the national voter list, which is believed that it is inaccurate.

In addition, they demanded the return of their self-exiled leader Sam Rainsy in order to join the forthcoming polls.

Sam Rainsy, 63, fled the country in late 2009 before Cambodian court sentenced him to 11 years in prison in absentia for two charges-removing border poles and publishing a false map of the border with Vietnam and accusing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong of being a member of the Democratic Kampuchea, or known as Khmer Rouge.

After the gathering for a couple of hours at the Freedom Park, protestors marched to the headquarters of the European Commission to Cambodia to submit a petition; then, they marched to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia to file the same petition to Surya P. Subedi, visiting United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to Cambodia.

"We seek interventions from them in order to push for reforms at the National Election Committee to ensure a free and fair election in Cambodia," said Kem Sokha.

The opposition members held such protest on April 24, but their demand was rejected by Secretary General of the National Election Committee Tep Nytha.

Nytha defended that the committee is "independent and does everything in accordance with the law."

Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general election on July 28. According the National Election Committee, eight political parties had registered to run in the upcoming election, which will be voted by some 9.67 million Cambodians.

Analysts predict that the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen will definitely win the majority in the upcoming polls.

Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in the office until he is 74.

Cambodia, Thailand to enhance cooperation in fighting cross border crimes

Sunday, 19 May 2013 10:16 DAP

PHNOM PENH, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Thailand agreed Friday to enhance cooperation to fight against all forms of illegal cross-border activities, a joint statement said.

The agreement was made between Cambodian defense minister Tea Banh and his Thai counterpart Gen. Sukumpol Suwanatat at the 9th General Border Committee, which was held in Rayong province, Thailand on Friday.

"Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation to prevent and crack down on illegal activities along the border such as drug trafficking, illegal logging, and illegal border crossing," said a joint statement released by Cambodian defense ministry. "The two ministers also agreed to enhance maritime security."

They also agreed to cooperate to improve livelihoods for peoples living along the border through the development of tourism, education and public health, it said.

In addition, both sides commended the two countries' Joint Working Group for fruitful discussions towards landmine clearance in the World Court-defined Provisional Demilitarized Zone (PDZ) surrounding Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple.

"Moreover, the two ministers vowed to release only accurate and positive information in regard to border issues in order to strengthen mutual trust and respect," the statement said.

Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflicts over the territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers of scrub next to the temple.

Deadly clashes between the both sides' troops happened in February and April 2011 during the rule of former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Military tensions have eased since August 2011 when ex-Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party won a general election and led the current government.

Last month, the two countries delivered their oral statements on the dispute to the World Court in the Netherlands and the court is expected to issue a decision on who owns the disputed land around the temple later this year.