Clean Water Network Extension Underway in Kampong Thom Province

Clean water is very important for sustaining a healthy quality of life. The Royal Government of Cambodia has set the country’s Cambodian Millennium Development Goals which are in line with world MDGs. Water supply and sanitation are part of the CMDGs as the they clearly state that at least 80 percent of the urban population will have a clean water supply and 74 percent will have sanitation facilities by 2015.

In Kampong Thom province, there are three water supply authorities: Kampong Thom Water authority, and water supply authorities in Stoung and Taing Krasaing districts.

Currently, the Kampong Thom Water Supply Authority’s coverage of its area is 40 percent; the water supply authority in Stoung district’s coverage is 63 percent; and the water supply authority in Taing Krasaing has coverage of 32 percent.

According to Gnek Kuthea, who’s with the Kampong Thom Provincial Department of Industry, Mines and Energy, one of big challenges for the water supply in that province is the water network needs to be extended to areas with the highest demand for water, especially in the downtown area.

To be continued...

Source: Economics Today, Feb 20-26, 2012

Link: http://www.etmcambodia.com/blog.php?article=236

Furniture Business on the Rise

More people are buying furniture thanks to a growing construction sector and solid economic growth.

Cambodia’s economy grew by 6.9 percent in 2011 and is expected to grow by 6.5 percent for the next two years, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Meanwhile, the construction sector is recovering with US$1.7 billion in total investment, and has increased by 102 percent year-on-year in 2011, according to the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. And last year, the ministry granted licenses to 2,129 construction projects nationwide, only a slight decrease from 2,149 projects in 2010.

While Cambodia’s economy is growing, people’s living standards are improving and along with the growth in the construction sector, a wide range of fine furniture from foreign companies becoming popular with Cambodians.

“The rapidly growing construction sector in Cambodia, including hotels, department, house, restaurant, and other buildings have led to a high demand in the furniture market,” said Chumteav Tang Gech Lieng, Director of furniture store, D’Furniture.

To be continued...

Source: Economics Today, Issue 105-106, Jan 30-Feb 12, 2012

Link: http://www.etmcambodia.com/blog.php?article=197

ACMES to Boost Trade Activity in Region

In an attempt at promoting trade within the region to strengthen trade cooperation as well as achieve the goal of establishing the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, Ayeyawady Chao Phraya Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMES) is trying to boost trade activity in the region.

ACMES consists of five ASEAN member countries Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The aim is to bridge the economic gap among the member countries, and to promote prosperity in the sub-region in a sustainable manner. “Such prosperity will not only benefit the five countries, but also add value to ASEAN and its solidarity,” said Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh, Cambodian Minister of Ministry of Commerce.

The economic cooperation framework the “ACMECS” was originally established in November 2003 in Bagan, Myanmar where leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand adopted the Bagan Declaration to affirm the commitment to cooperate in five priority areas of cooperation, and endorsed the Economic Cooperation Strategy Plan of Action, under which 46 common projects and 224 bilateral projects were listed for implementation over 10 years.

To be continued...

Source: Economics Today, Issue 105-106, Jan 30-Feb 12, 2012

Link: http://www.etmcambodia.com/blog.php?article=200

300 Cambodian Students to Study in Australia

About 300 Cambodian students including 160 self-funded students departed to study in Australia in 2011. As Australia has become a popular destination for Cambodian students, the numbers of private-funded Cambodian students rapidly increase over the last five years.

“This signification increase is a result of many reasons including the high quality of Australian education, a globally recognized and respected qualification, the friendliness of Australia’s multicultural society, the geographic to Cambodia, it moderate climate and its safe environment,” H.E. Penny Richards, Australian Ambassador to Cambodia.

The National Survey of International Students Studying in Australia showed that the majority of international students were either satisfied with living and study experience in Australia as the reasons: the quality of teaching, reputation of qualification, personal safety and reputation of institution.

More than 85 percent of the students surveyed were also satisfied with the level of support on their arrival, confirming Australia’s reputation as a country that welcomes international students.

The increasing students to study in Australia, both Cambodia and Australia receive enormous benefit. “Cambodia is able to increase the pool of talented human resources who can drive Cambodia’s continued economic development,” Richard stressed.

Cambodian graduates from Australian educational institutions now work in diverse fields, including health, gender and development, social services, agriculture, fisheries, environmental management, rural development, urban development, law and justice, public financial management, banking, information technology, and infrastructure.

The notable of increasing private-funded Cambodian students to Australia since 2005, but it signification increase last five year as three fold increase, Heang Chanveasna, Deputy Office Manager of IDP (Education) Cambodia said. “Last year, most of Cambodian students went to study in high school level in Australia while some of them also study short course, bachelor degree, master degree and doctor degree.” The payment is depend on level, areas, and school they study as studying bachelor degree in Australia need to spend average around US$15,000-20,000 for school fees and other US$15,000-20,000 for living, he added.

U.S assists Cambodia to ensure the successful of ASEAN Series Meeting

As Cambodia will rotating to be chairman of ASEAN this year, United Stated Agency for International Development (USAID) has been prepared to provide technical assistance to Cambodia and organized “ASEAN Economic Community Workshop: From Indonesia 2011 to Cambodia 2012” on January 9-10 in Phnom Penh.

U.S. Charge d’Affaires, a.i Jeff Daigle said the United State is pleased to be working closely with ASEAN member states to advance ASEAN’s economics integration goal, to facilitate trade with ASEAN’s external partners, and to boost investment, capacity, and economic development throughout the region.

As President Obama and ASEAN leaders noted in third annual meeting in Bali last November, ASEAN and the United Stated are partners in driving global economic growth. “Our closer economics ties are important both to us and the rest of the world.”

“The United State to support many of important efforts including the launch of the ASEAN Single Window pilot project, significant movement on the ASEAN Trade Repository, and the first ever dialogue between ASEAN trade and environment officials to promote green growth in the region,” he stressed.

In 2007, United Sated created ADVANCE program to support ASEAN vision for integration, peace and harmony in Southeast Asia in order to strengthen security, politic, society and culture.

“We were please to promote the establishment of an ASEAN public Private Sector Dialogue on food security, which highlighted how critical regional trade efficiency is in ensuring that the people of the region have adequate access to food at all the times.”  

Senior Minister Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, thanked the initiate of this meeting.

Minister hoped that Cambodia officials can absorb more experience and response their roles to run successfully ASEAN series meeting and the vision of ASEAN.

In the workshop, it focuses on the experience, development and faced problem of ASEAN in 2011 and the challenges of ASEAN in 2012.

Golden Fortune (Cambodia) Securities Launched

Golden Fortune (Cambodia) Securities Plc (GFS), one among two securities dealers obtained license from Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC) is officially inaugurate its operation in Cambodia in late December, 2011. It is a join-venture company between Chinese and Cambodia with total capital of 10 million dollars.

Its ceremony and the inaugurations of various securities firms licensed as underwriter, dealer and securities broker are evidence of readiness of securities intermediaries which is a key infrastructure to support the success of launching the securities market project in Cambodia in future, Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon, Minister of Ministry of Economy and Finance said during ceremony.

Securities Dealers play a significant role in trading of securities in secondary market through Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX)’s trading system to provide not only brokerage service to public investors, but also in trading in their own account assuming all the risks themselves. Moreover, securities dealers are important mainstays in daily trading operation in the market to provide dynamic trading activities and increase liquidity.

Mr. Zhang Yun Feng, Chairman of Golden Fortune, said that the firm has experience more than 10 years and also experience with beginning of Chinese security market with a strong basic security business skill and well communication network.

“We are commit in participating in the development of Cambodia securities market from the beginning by ways of investing, setting up relevant necessary infrastructure and made effort in finding partners, and skilled and experienced management from overseas in particular skilled staffs who had experience in developing securities market in China,” according to Mr. Zhang.

Currently, SECC provide license to 15 securities firms including 7 underwriter, 2 dealers, 4 brokers and 2 investment advisers, H.E. Ming Bankosal, Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia said after ceremony.

All securities already put into operation and ready for security trading even through they are not yet inaugurate such as SBI security, Kosal mentioned.

In November 2010, SECC granted licenses for fifteen securities firms: 7 underwriters, 2 dealers, 4 brokers and 2 investment advisers to conduct securities businesses.

As the trading of securities in future, three state-owned enterprises, Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority, and Telecom Cambodia are preparing Initial Public Offerings (IPO) to ensure the trading of Cambodia security.

"The process in upcoming securities market are comply with rules and regulation and operate with transparency, accountability, efficiency, fair and protecting public investors and to provide fruitful outcome for developing financial sector as well as real economy,” Keat Chhoun said.

                                                                                                                                       

The delay in putting securities market into operation because it need to be careful arrangement and consideration all aspect in Cambodia security market to be success, He stressed.

Cambodia Cassava Dramatic increase in recent year

Cambodia exported about 0.24 million tons of cassava in the first 11 month of 2011, an increase 84 percent from the same period the year before.

According to a report from Ministry of Commerce, cassava exports were valued US$11.27 million at the first 11 month of 2011, compare to $US4 million last year at the same period .

In 2010, Cambodia’s cassava exports amounted 0.13 million tons. However, with the big demand of neighboring countries and international market, it contributed the growth of cassava export in Cambodia as the first 11 months of 2011, soared 84 percent from 131,311 tones to 241,274 tones.

The Ministry of Commerce official said that under the impetus of rising demand and prices in cassava, the planning areas have increased in the last two years from 160,000 to 190,000 hectares. In 2010, Cambodia cultivated cassava in 194,000 hectares with a yield of around 3.78 million tons of fresh cassava.

The 2012 ASEAN Civil Society Conference

World Business and Development Awards open call for business contributions to sustainable development

The World Business and Development Awards on February 2 launched a call for nominations for successful business initiatives that are in line with the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development. All organisations, regardless of size or location, engaged in innovative business models that are delivering both commercial success and helping improve social, economic and environmental conditions are eligible to apply online by 25th March 2012 by downloading the form atwww.worldbusinessawards.net/nominate.

The award ceremony will be held on 19th June, when governments convene in Brazil at the Rio+20 Conference, closing the Business Action for Sustainable Development Business Day.

Celebrating a decade of biennial award giving, the World Business and Development Awards are organized by the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership this year with the Netherlands Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the UN Global Compact. The Awards demonstrate how companies can, through their core business activities, help achieve the Millennium Development Goals — eight internationally agreed targets to reduce poverty and environmental degradation and improve education, health conditions and gender equality by 2015.

"When businesses apply the full force of their core business activities to development challenges and measure their success both by profit and social outcomes, there is no limit to what can be achieved,” said Clare Melford, CEO of IBLF, “We hope that the WBDA will again stimulate businesses of all sizes and in all regions to bring forward their best examples and so accelerate progress towards achieving the MDGs."

The 2012 Awards will be given explicitly to companies delivering inclusive business models: sustainable, commercially-viable business initiatives that expand access for low-income people to goods and services, or improve their livelihoods by engagement in value chains as direct employees, suppliers or distributors, while also generating sales and profit growth.

In honour of the Rio+20 host country, there will be a special category designated for Brazil-based companies.

By bringing together examples of innovative, effective business practices, the World Business and Development Awards will also provide leading businesses and entrepreneurs with a valuable platform for networking and sharing experiences and promote best practices after Rio+20. This will encourage other businesses and governments to replicate and scale initiatives. 

An international judging panel made up of representatives of the organising partners as well as non-governmental organisations, universities, business entities, and international institutions will determine this year’s winners. A workshop on inclusive business will take place prior to the Awards ceremony, held in association with the Business Call to Action and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

In 2010, the Awards received an unprecedented 172 nominations, representing a variety of business and commercial endeavours undertaken by business associations, non-governmental organisations and individual companies from more than 42 countries. Diverse in nature, the 10 winning initiatives ranged from low-income housing in Mexico and assisting farmers in Sierra Leone, to offering affordable maternal health services in India.

“Past award winners have shown how companies can help boost sustainable growth and development,” said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, “They can be a tremendous source of innovative and sustainable solutions which help transform people’s lives for the better."

"As progress towards the Millennium Development Goals comes under threat in the current economic climate, the Awards will highlight the critical role of the private sector in stimulating sustainable economic growth and development,” said ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier.

Contact Information

UNDP: Carolina Azevedo, carolina.azevedo@undp.org; +1 212 906 6127

ICC: Dawn Chardonnal, dawn.chardonnal@iccwbo.org; +33 1 49 53 29 07

IBLF: Jessica Scholl, Jessica.scholl@iblf.org; +44 20 7467 363

WASH Media Awards – 2011-2012

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) welcome entries for the fourth edition of the WASH Media Awards. This competition is open to journalists who publish or broadcast original investigative stories and reports on water supply, sanitation or hygiene (WASH) related issues and their impact on individual and country development.

The WASH Media Awards recognize and support the crucial role of media in raising awareness of the importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene services. It aims to promote coverage of WASH issues in the local, national and international media to have a positive influence on decision-makers, the private sector, the civil society as well as individuals and households.

Timeline
To be eligible, entries must be published or broadcast between 1 April 2011 and 1 April 2012.

Formats
Journalists may submit one piece of work in the following formats:

• Print & online (traditional print media such as newspapers, magazines and journals; articles that appeared in electronic versions of print media sources – online editions of newspapers, magazines or journals – or in recognized reputable media sources)
• TV (including documentaries)
• Radio
• Cartoons & photos (that appeared in traditional print media such as newspapers, magazines or journals; articles that appeared in electronic versions of print media sources – online editions of newspapers, magazines or journals – or in recognized reputable media sources)

Languages
Entries will be accepted in English, French and Hindi. Works not originally produced in one of these languages must be translated into one of them.

Awards
Six prizes will be awarded:

1. One for the best entry in print & online format
2. One for the best entry in TV format
3. One for the best entry in  radio format
4. One for the best entry in cartoons & photos format
5. One for the best entry for the theme ‘economics of sanitation’ focusing on investing in sanitation, the cost of inadequate sanitation (financial, social, environmental etc.), sanitation marketing, sanitation entrepreneurship and any other related issues
6. One for the best entry from a journalist based in a high-income country or a field reporter working for an international media outlet

Prizes 1 to 5 will be awarded to journalists from developing and middle income countries. For prize number 6, journalists from high-income countries or working for an international media outlet are invited to send entries in the same formats and languages as indicated above.The six winners will receive a cash prize and participate in the World Water Week in Stockholm in August 2012 as special guests of WSSCC and SIWI. All the entries will be evaluated by an international jury of distinguished media professionals. Submissions
All entries must be received no later than 1st April 2012 together with a duly filled in entry form  either by regular post or email:

Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), WASH MEDIA AWARDS, 15, chemin Louis-Dunant, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland

Tel: +41 22 560 8181
Fax: +41 22 560 8184

Email: wsscc@wsscc.org (mention in e-mail title: WASH MEDIA AWARD Entry)
The WSSCC FTP details can be provided upon request.

Queries
Queries can be directed to:

Ms. Tatiana Fedotova, WSSCC Communications Officer, tatiana.fedotova@wsscc.org
Mr. Rami Abdel Rahman, SIWI Communications Officer, rami.abdelrahman@siwi.org

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