U.S. Provides $ 24 Million to boost Cambodia’s Economic Growth

By Soy Sophea

Visiting U.S deputy secretary of state John D. Negroponte and USAID director to Cambodia Erin Soto and Sok An, Cambodian deputy prime minister have inked a four-year bilateral agreement funding $24 million to support Cambodia properties in economic growth.

The signing ceremony was held at the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation on August 16, 2008.

The total amount of the project is $26 million; of that amount Cambodia contributed $2 million. Funds will be used to expand USAID’s highly successful Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) program, which seek to improve the productivity of rural enterprises by connecting and strengthening all levels of an industry supply chain. It will expand this value chain work and add two new areas of focus: strengthening the voice of the private sector and strengthening the public sector’s capacity to improve the business-enabling environment.

The Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also thanked the U.S.’s assistant to Cambodia’s economic growth. He noticed the relationship between the two nations has been improved.

The Prime Minister who met the U.S. deputy secretary of state told reporters after the signing ceremony that the two leaders had found out other possibility cooperation between the two countries.

John D. Negroponte, also said that the U.S and the Cambodian government explored the way to deepen bilateral relationship.

“My trip here is an opportunity to emphasize our commitment to strong engagement in Asia, he said. “The United State and Cambodia have a good and growing relationship.”

*U.S Funds ECCC $1, 8 Million

The U.S deputy secretary of state announced on August 16 that his state decided to provide money to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal after a long observation to the progress of the court.

“I hope that we will contribute in future, definitely it is our plan and we have include in our proposal in the budget for future years of that continues contributions to be made to the court,” he said.

He explained that the reasons why the U.S is late to fund the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) because the U.S was in a reservation. the progress of the ECCC’s progress to meet international standard

The Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that the U.S donation is a good step at this stage, referring to the pregnant elephant and its son delivered is also big enough.

Reach Sambath, ECCC’s public affair officer told the Cambodia Weekly on August 16 that the court welcome the U.S’s fund to the UN side in the court although the donation is late.

“The U.S fund is a good signal for starting point, and we hope that other countries will follow,” he said. “We welcome any donors’ assistant from any individual countries.”

Former S-21 prison survivor Van Nath, welcomed the donation from the U.S. However, he doubted the amount would make the ECCC’s financial crisis get work smooth when he realized that $ 56,3 million, which is a big money for 3-year plan for the court was not enough.

“My hope went out after the planned budget of out account,” he said. “Time has gone, now I am 62 years old, so I am not so sure when I can see the justice offered.”