Cambodia-Japan Inks to Extend Its Cooperation Center

By Soy Sophea

Cambodian government officers and Japanese Development Agency representatives have signed an agreement aimed at extending the 5-year Cambodian Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC) project. It is hoped the center will continue to be a facilitator of Japanese investments in Cambodian in the future. The Signing Ceremony of the Minutes of Meetings took place between the Japanese Preparatory Survey Team and Ministry of Education Youth and Sports representatives.

Pit Chamnan, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS), said during the signing ceremony on January 23 at the center located in the Royal University of Phnom Penh that, Cambodia and Japan agreed to extend the project to train people in the Japanese language and promote cultural exchanges between the two nations.

“We want the CJCC to become a useful center for Japanese investors in the forthcoming year and the focus for the relationship between Cambodia and Japan,” Chamnan said.

The Secretary of State added that nationals of both countries have received benefits from the center.

“Japanese government officers have told me the Cambodian Center is more effective and efficient compared to other centers in other countries in the region,” he told the Cambodia Weekly. “We will do best to sustain the center throughout the five-year extension.”

Nakagawa Hiroaki, Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), said that the Japanese government and people are happy to extend the project as they have seen progress in Cambodian and Japanese relations as a result of the center. The center’s first phase cost 8 million USD.

He said that phase II which costs US $8 million will pave the way for Japanese investors to operate in the Cambodian investment environment and will encourage them when they hear Cambodian nationals speaking Japanese as fluently as the Mother Tongue. He noted that it would also promote tourism to the region.

The Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC) was established between Cambodia and Japan in April 2004. It encourages Human Resource Development and further strengthens mutual understanding and cooperation between Cambodia and Japan through three main pillars: the Human Resource Development Course, the Japanese Language Course and an Exchange Program.

In the phase 2 of project, the 3 main activities will be strengthened and the Center will extend the activities and scale in order to provide knowledge, skills to students, company staff and the other concerned authorities. It aims to promote private sector development in Cambodia and become a human resource and information center. The extension will start as of April 2009.