Martial Arts Celebrates 32nd Anniversary of Victory Day

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (3 January 2011)

Bokator, one of Martial Arts perform to celebrate victory day

Cambodian Martial Arts Games Committee (CMAGC) has launch large performance event on January 2^nd 2011 at National stadium. It is under the support of National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), celebrating victory day, January 7^th.

There are seven kinds of martial arts performances: Boxkator, Kongimodo, Karate-Do, Taekwondo ITF, Aikido and Vovinam. Other sports are aerobics and gymnastics.

Mr. Nim Savath, president of Cambodian Martial Arts Games Committee said that Cambodian Martial Arts Game Committee have formed since 2001 with mixed martial arts games such as Bokator, Karate-Do, Aikido, Taekwondo, WuShu, Kongimodo, Panchak Seila, KuBuDo, Habkido and Vovinam. Among all martial arts, Boxkator is a national Khmer sport that has become increasingly popular on the international stage.

It is also registered as full member of World Martial Arts Union (WoMAU), with 33 members. It is included annual program of World Martial Arts day. Boxkator has been added to UNESCO UNESCO world heritage since 2008.

The Cambodian sport was performed on the world stage, World Martial Arts Festival on October 2010 in South Korea, and Cambodia achieved second place among 33 competing countries. Other martial arts are also on the progress of trying their best to develop the sport as strong as in Cambodia.

Martial Arts in Cambodia have taken off in the last decade. Achievements were possible given the strong nature of the nation’s solidarity, commitment, friendship and cooperation between members, families and athletes of martial arts.

“I very appreciate for the preparation by Cambodian Martial Arts Games Committee in cooperation with National Olympic Committee of Cambodia in preparing this martial arts performance, particularly for the celebration of the 32^nd anniversary of January 7^th, he noted.

Mr. Vath Chamcoeun, Secretary General of Cambodian Martial Arts Game Committee, said that today there are 222 martial arts-specific athletes. Of these athletes, five are from aerobics, 22 from Siem Reap Boxkator, 150 athletes from Kongimodo and Karate-Do, 15 from Taekwondo ITF, five from Aikido, five from Vovinam, five from Gymnastics and 15 athletes from Phnon Penh Boxkator.

By S.L (Vol.5, Issue 2, SEAW)

A Revival of Hockey in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2 January 2011)

Cambodian hockey has remained silent for many years, but now it is making comeback. Although inactive since 2006, Cambodian hockey players continued their activities by playing friendly tournaments with Japanese counterparts every year under informal condition.

The Cambodia Hockey Federation was established again at the end of year 2010 under the guidance of Mr. Vath Cahamroeun and eleven other members.

Mr. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) and president of Cambodian Hockey Federation (CHF), emphasized that hockey has come to the spotlight again.

“This sport was inactive for years, he said. “We need to reorganize it again and set up the members with responsible tasks.”

In a comment to The Southeast Asia Weekly, he said, “Hockey sport is a team sport, like football, which has eleven members [on] each side. And it is different from individual sport [because] it needs a team spirit in order to run…smoothly and win.”

In order to build up hockey as strong sport in Cambodia, the Cambodia Hockey Federation has to implement strategies that promote appreciation of sport. Moreover, the federation needs to re-build the relationship with international organization such as Asian Hockey Federation and International Hockey Federation. One strategy is to develop Cambodia hockey athletes through specialized training and incorporating new techniques. The Federation also plans to organize a national hockey championship to raise the profile of the sport, increase the number of athletes, and strengthen the competitiveness of athletes.

 “We are still young in everything, so we need to try hard to work together and help each other in order to build…the good relationship[s] between teams, ability and level of competition,” he said.

He also noted that, at end of February this year, Cambodian Hockey Federation will organize a friendly tournament and invite teams to compete from Japan and Thailand as well as a veteran team from Pakistan, which has several notable players who have retired.

Asif Maqsood Rana also shred some insight, saying that the hockey was brought to Cambodia since 2002. In 2003, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) reorganized Hockey Federation, which has since then become a member of International Hockey Federation and Asian Hockey Federation.

The hockey is one of Olympic discipline, which has three kinds: ice hockey, field hockey and roller hockey. Cambodia hockey players have not been able to participate in several international events because the sport have been inactive in the country, they have been able to play friendly hockey matches with Japanese players since 2003, according to Mr. Rana.

Currently, there are more than 50 Cambodian hockey athletes in training, with fifteen athletes being female hockey players. Many of these players have become expert athletes.

Mr. Rana continue to say that the roots of hockey are buried deep in antiquity. Historical records show that a crude form of hockey was played in Egypt and in Ethiopia a few thousand years ago. Moreover, archeological evidence provides evidence that a form of the game was played by the Romans and Greeks, as well as by the Aztec Indians.

The modern game of hockey evolved in England in the mid-18th century, primarily around schools.  The first Olympic Hockey Competition for men was held in London in 1908 with England, Ireland and Scotland competing separately, he said, adding that after having made its first appearance in the 1908 Games, hockey was in 1920 in Antwerp before being omitted again in Paris in 1924.

He noted that the Paris organizers refused to include hockey on the basis that the sport had no International Federation. Hockey had made its first steps toward an international federation when in 1909 when the Hockey Association in England and the Belgium Hockey Association agreed to mutually recognize each other to regulate international hockey relations. The French Association followed soon after, but this was not considered sufficient. Hockey took its most important step forward in 1924 when the International Hockey Federation, the world governing body for the sport, was founded in Paris under the initiative of Frenchman, Paul Léautey. Mr. Léautey, who would become the first President of the FIH, was motivated to action following hockey's omission from the program of the 1924 Paris Games.

By S.L (Vol.5, Issue 2, SEAW)

Commerce Ministry Organizes Trade Fair

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (29 December 2010)

The Ministry of Commerce organized the 3rd Kep Trade Fair 2010 in Kep City, Kep Province, to promote and develop trade and the economic sector in Cambodia. The trade fair was held on December 27-28, 2010, and in cooperation with Kep provincial authorities. Other provinces in the southern part of Cambodia also supported this initiative.

The trade fair was aimed at strengthening the economic and trade cooperation in the region, and accelerating activities that promote trade with neighboring countries along the border. In addition, it helped to promote the economic development of provinces located in the southern part of Cambodia.

“Trade has become a basic foundation in the agenda of the country’s development program and, in the past years, a lot of initiatives have been put into implementation by the Ministry of Commerce and other relevant ministries, as well as many international communities, to jointly formulate policies and strategies to help investment and to promote economic growth, thus generating employment for people and reducing poverty,” said H.E. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce, at the inaugural ceremony of the 3rd Kep Trade Fair 2010.

He continued to say that trade has been widely recognized as having a significant impact in developing the country’s social economy. The Royal Government of Cambodia is determined to boost efforts to strengthen trade and participation in this field to further develop the nation’s economy. The trade development program to reduce poverty constitutes a part of the 10 priority packages, as identified by the Royal Government.

The Ministry of Commerce is responsible for formulating programs that promote trade activities at both the national and international level. It helps to create a domestic trade environment and to open trade in all forms, focusing on trade facilitation, economic diversification and local investment.

To promote trade, according to H.E.Cham Prasidh, the Ministry of Commerce has organized various activities: discussions about trade and investment affairs throughout Cambodia, trade meetings resulting from active solicitation of foreign trade missions, foreign trade exhibitions and trade fairs in Cambodia, and annual trade exhibitions both nationally and internationally.

The Ministry of Commerce has also promoted tourism-related trade activities. Cambodia is a country with a rich cultural heritage and beautiful natural scenery, so developing the eco-tourism sector has tremendous potential to attract both regional and global visitors. Kep can contribute much in this regard.

Moreover, the Royal Government has recently implemented a policy focused on increasing rice production and rice exports to foreign markets. This policy aims to turn Cambodia into a key rice exporter in the international markets, he said, adding that the Royal Government aims to increase rice production to more than 4 million tons and rice exports to be at least one million ton per year by 2015. This will help Cambodian rice to be internationally recognized.

The promotion of rice exports paves the way for other agricultural exports, such as rubber and other crops. At the present moment, however, the Royal Government is focusing its policies on rice to ensure implementation effectiveness. Increasing exports of diverse products at the same time may hinder the limited resources available. If implementation of rice exports is successful, it sends a strong message and will further encourage future exports of other agricultural products.

H.E. Cham Prasidh also emphasized that the Cambodian economy has been growing despite the world financial crisis in late 2008. Cambodian economic growth in 2010 is expected to increase over 5 percent, while inflation is roughly 4 percent, and the reserved capital for import is at least three months.

In 3^rd Kep Trade Fair 2010, there were 61 participating companies. Provincial and municipal trade organizations occupied 118 booths and displayed many different kinds of national and international products. These products were not only showcased to meet the consumer needs of the Kep market, but also help to stimulate competition for future supply and consumption. Producers can study the new products and innovate to create higher-quality products, or products that are more reasonably priced.

Trade fair participants also participated in Kacha-boat racing and watched nightly musical performances by famous Khmer artists.

By S.L (Vol. 5, Issue 1, SEAW)

First Cambodian Aquatic Sports Center Officially Inaugurated

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (28 December 2010)

The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) has created an aquatic sports center for athletes in the country. As a result, the Cambodian Aquatic Sports Center was officially inaugurated and introduced to the public on December 27^th, 2010, in Kampot province.

The Aquatic Sports Center has an area of 1,800 square kilometers. It is located in Sovansakor village, Kampongkandal sub-district, Kampongbay district, Kampot province. H.E. Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and President of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said that the Aquatic Sport Center is a product of the new and modern sport infrastructure in Kampot province. It will become a new tourism site for this province.

The Minister added that the Aquatic Sports Center marks another important chapter in the history of Cambodian sports. In the past, the country hosted rowing competitions in the Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO), in 1966. Cambodia earned a bronze medal during the Games.

From a technical perspective, the Center is suitable for aquatic sports such as canoeing (paddling to front), rowing (paddling to back), traditional boarding, yachting, sailing, jet skiing, and power boarding. The Minster added that there is only one kind of aquatic sport in Cambodia, which is canoeing. That is operated by the Cambodian Canoe Federation. Cambodia has competed in the SEA Games four times in 2003, 2005, 2007 and in 2001. It received a bronze medal for the Youth Canoe Championship in Thailand.

The Minister stated that even though traditional boarding or dragon boarding is not an official sport recognized by the Olympic Games. However, in terms of traditional boarding, Cambodia has received a gold medal in the International Dragon Board Competition 2005 in China, and a silver medal in 2010 in Palembank, Indonesia.

According to a report from the Tourism Ministry, Cambodia joined the SEA Games at Vientiane, Laos and received 40 medals, which was an increase from 2007, where they only received 18 medals. In 2010, Cambodia also joined the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and received one bronze medal by a female athlete. Taekwondo and wrestling came in fifth place among 45 countries in the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou. Plans are underway to host large sporting events in Cambodia in the future.

The report said that tourism in Cambodia has grown very fast in the past eleven months, since the beginning of 2010. There were 2,258,587 international tourists, growing at the rate of 11.23 percent. As an estimate, there will be 2.5 million tourists visiting Cambodia in 2010. The global economic crisis slowed tourism down, but the economy is recovering, with an expected growth in tourism.

The aquatic sports center is expected to attract tourists and it serves as a training facility for athletes. Moreover, it contributes in developing Kampot province.

Mr. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said that the Cambodia Aquatic Sport Center began construction on February 15th, 2009 and completed the project on June 20th, 2010. The total cost was US$ 111,137.55 of that US$ 100,000 was from the Olympasia Financial Project, by the Olympic Council Asian (OCA).

He remarked that this sports center is not only for aquatic sporting activities, but also  for beach volleyball training, which could prepare them for the Asian Games. That takes place every two years, and is organized by OCA. “Even though Cambodia has a few aquatic sports, but aquatic sport center will draw a change for aquatic sports to develop in country as well as international stage,” he mentioned.

By S.L (Vol. 5, Issue 1, SEAW)

Thirty-Two Football Teams to Attend Hun Sen Cup

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (24 December 2010)

Thirty-Two football team will attend 5^th Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Cup, which will be held on January 7 to March 12 to challenge each other before go to league.

The purpose of tournament is to serve techniques work in football in selecting best players to join league then go to compete on international stage. One another purpose is to active social foundation to develop country and prevent inactivity which creates bad problems in society. It also serves healthy purpose for every football player.

Mr. Ork Sethcheat, Secretary General of Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC), said that among 32 football teams across the country will participate in this tournament and the tournament divided into four centers: Battambang center, Kampongthom center, Prey Veng center, and Takeo center. In one center has two groups and in one group has four teams. Number one and number two from center will go to challenge at Phnom Penh for 1/8 final round.

According to 5^th Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Cup list, Prek Pra Keila, Kon Rithysen, Banteaymeanchey and Mekong Cambodia University are in group A, and Build Bright United, Battambang, Udormeanchey and Pailin are in group B, which Battambang is host group and play in Battambang center. Preah Khanreach, Preah Vihear, Chilamsamoth and Kratie are in group C and Phnom Crown, KG.Thom, Baksey Chamkroung Siemreap and Neakkhiev KG Cham are in group D, which KG. Thom is host group and play in Kampongthom center. Chhmakhmao Svayrieng, Western University, Stung Treng and Kandal are in group E, and National Defense, Prey Veng, National Police and Life University are in group F, which Prey Veng is host group and play in Prey Veng Center. In Takeo center, NAGA Corp, Takeo, Kep and Kampong Peak Preak sihaknok are in group G, and KCL.Kiribongsoksengchey, KG Speu, Kampot and Koh Kong are in group H, which Takeo is host group.

“The prizes of this year are the same as last year, which are 80 million riel with gold medal for number one, 40 million riel with silver medal for number two, and 20 million riel with bronze medal for number three. We also have another award for individual player in tournament such as fair play, best player and best ball award to encourage all players”, he remarked.

He explained that to run this competition successfully, the Football Federation of Cambodia prepare four million riel as package to support host group to run their center and the preparation in the tournament. The federation also provides 500,000 riel more for every tournament to football teams when compete. This amount of money is not enough for them during competition, they need to have another amount of money to support the team, he explained.

This competition is not serving national tournament purpose, but also for international tournament. “After this matching, we will send best teams to challenge in league then bring them to match on international stage”, he said, adding that this year, Cambodian national team will have a Challenge Cup with Macau on February 9^th in Cambodia then they will go to continue challenge with Macau on February 16^th in Macau.

Recently, FFC try to set up football academic to develop football in Cambodia by selecting children to study in football academic. Those children can train football and study general knowledge in the same time. Moreover, federations try to send coach across province to promote the quality and quantity of football players across the country.

By S.L (Vol.4, Issue 52, SEAW)

Health Ministry to Control Counterfeit drugs

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (23 December 2010)

H.E Heng Teakra deliver a speech during annual assessment of the inter-ministerial committee and provincial committee for elimination of counterfeit drugs and illegal health services for poverty reduction.

The Ministry of Health on December 22^nd launched an annual assessment of the inter-ministerial committee and provincial committee for elimination of counterfeit drugs and illegal health services for poverty reduction.

H.E Heng Teakra Secretary of State of Ministry of Health said that until now counterfeit drugs and illegal health services is current complex problems for developing countries especially Cambodia. Every year, a lot of money and people life have gone by counterfeit drugs, less quality and illegal health services.

There are many factors that caused counterfeit drugs appear day to day included the limitation of knowledge, poverty and involvement of citizen especially people live in rural area and remote area in stopping counterfeit drugs, he said, adding that  less cooperation between related institution like local medicine and food authority and other developmental partnership organization such as World Health Organization (WTO), USP-PQM organization and Global Fund is also the cause of counterfeit drugs in country. One more reason is the public advertise service about disadvantage of counterfeit drugs is not propagating widely and on time. Moreover, the implement law is not yet strict and punishment is petty caused the disobedient people to violate the law.

Recently, Ministry of health also directly and indirectly advertise as public on decree, rule, law and annulment through poster, video spot about counterfeit drugs and disadvantage of using counterfeit drugs and less quality medicines. By the way, control medicine center agency has examined and follows a trail with import-export companies, medicine industrial and pharmacy over the country to ensure the security, quality and effectiveness of medicine in Cambodia. Until now, there is 9462 kind of medicine register to ministry.

To prevent the counterfeit drugs and illegal health services in Cambodia, Medicine Management law to be amendment on December 28^th 2007 and control medicine agency train trained on law and then invocation at Ministry of justice to be justice officer in implementing medicine management law, he remarked.

By the end of 2009, there are 1420 illegal pharmacy or selling medicine houses and 1055 illegal health services. But now there are only 111 illegal pharmacy or selling medicine houses and 305 illegal health service. “It is show the effective of implementing health law in Cambodia”, he noted.

According to Sub-pharmacy statistics show that there are 1389 legal pharmacy and 2700 legal private health service at the end of 2009 and the number of the legal pharmacy and legal health service are increasing day to day. At the end of 2010, there are 1555 legal pharmacy and 4317 legal private health service at the end of 2010.

In year 2010, inter-Ministerial Committee vanquish pharmacy that store illegal drugs four times including 19T 280 kilograms  at first time, 1246 cases with 133 box and 150 Tubes for second time, 650 cases for third time and collected Cosmetic 516 case for fourth time.

Based on Summary of Sample Project 2009 of KU University in JPMA program and cooperation with Medicine, food and health equipment department with National Health Laboratory pulled out nine kinds of medicine and report two kind of medicines as counterfeit drugs.

By S.L (Vol. 4, Issue 52, SEAW)

NOCC Prepare Strategies for 2011

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (22 December 2010)

NOCC Executive discuss in the meeting

The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) has launched an annual assembly meeting of (NOCC) to sum up the work in 2010 and prepare strategy for next progress on December 21^st.

The annual assembly focuses on four main points: activities work report 2010, work progress in 2011, financial planning and problems in 2010. 

Mr. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia said NOCC achieved many results in year 2010 such as multiply many athletes, successful prepared many training courses especially the training course for athletes to join 16^th Asian games, join many national and international tournaments and reinforced job activities with international partners. By the way, NOCC joint four main games included SEA game in Lao, 2010 Youth Olympic games in Singapore, the 16^th Asian games in China and Beach games in Oman. In those games, Cambodian athletes get a good result in SEA games and 2010 Youth Olympic Games. For Asian Games, even though Cambodian athletes do not get a good result, but they can challenge till the final round. It is the first time that Cambodian athletes can struggle with 45 countries to get medals. As the result in 2010, Cambodia got 40 medals from SEA Games and one bronze medal from Youth Olympic Games.

As the meeting mention, NOCC have to strengthen the 36 federations’ works and have a good relationship with them in order to develop sport sector in Cambodia. Moreover, NOCC needs to be solidarity and glorious with every federation, he remarked.

In the same time, NOCC prepare some strategies such as training courses, workshop and more training for athletes to be well-prepared to the 26^th Southeast Asian Games which held in Palembang, Indonesia next year.

He told the Southeast Asia Weekly after meeting that Cambodia will take role of host country to run 10^th ASEAN Taekwondo Championship in April and plan forty thousand dollars for preparing this event. In the same, NOCC also create a marketing plan to find sponsors to support this event too.

In the progress of 2010, NOCC also meet some problems. One of them is another countries want to buy athletes especially beach volleyball and athletic athletes from Cambodia, but Cambodia has no “Buy-Sell athletes Law”. Therefore, the meeting suggest NOCC to daft the law for buying and selling athletes. The meeting also approval NOCC to recheck inactivity of Boxing Federation of Cambodia especially on free boxing sport and coordination with them to solve the problems that appear during the contest.

By S.L

The agreement in Cancun – a victory for Europe

Europe (22 December 2010)

Connie Hedegaard

Although Christmas and a cold winter are upon us, there is good reason to reflect for a moment about global warming and the recent climate conference in Cancun. It may seem unreal, as our teeth are chattering in Europe, but 2010 was actually one of the hottest years on record. The weather-related catastrophes, from fires in Moscow to floods in Pakistan and Venezuela are a forewarning of things to come, unless we deal with the challenge of climate change. That's why the package of decisions which came out of the conference in Cancun may well be this year's most important Christmas present.

What's in the package? Quite a bit. And Europe can be proud that we have contributed significantly to the content. The key points of the agreement concluded in Cancun are based on the results we achieved in Copenhagen last year. That includes the 2°C target and the reduction pledges that countries took on in the run-up to Copenhagen. It includes the commitment of developed nations to provide finance for developing countries – $30 billion in the short term (2010-2012) and $100 billion annually by 2020. And it includes the rules for transparency – how countries measure and report their emissions. That last point may sound a bit technical, but in fact it is very political, as these rules are key to ensuring that countries deliver on their promises.

We also need these rules to be able to assess the impact of climate projects in developing countries that are financed with European tax payers' money.

In Cancun, all countries – except for Bolivia – agreed to what was agreed in Copenhagen. But Cancun also took new steps. Besides tightened rules on transparency, the agreement contains detailed decisions for improved co-operation on technology between North and South, an agreement on climate adaptation in developing countries and a mechanism to reverse deforestation in the Tropics. Substantial decisions that will lead to concrete action; and decisions with a clear European fingerprint. For example, Andreas Carlgren, the Swedish environment minister, and his colleague from Grenada were appointed to fine-tune the wording of the agreement's overarching shared vision. Along with Algeria, the Spanish State Secretary Teresa Ribera forged the compromise on adaptation. In cooperation with Brazil, Chris Huhne, British Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, was asked to handle the delicate issue of the future of the Kyoto Protocol and find out how to anchor the reduction pledges from Copenhagen in the new agreement. And the newly appointed Environment Minister of France led the consultations on technology.

In other words, Europe played a key role in the political stage of the negotiations. And we've strived to push things forward - at the technical level; with a steady stream of analysis, text input and suggestions, and in relation to the strategy. And you don't have to take my word for that. At a meeting with the EU on the last day of negotiations, the Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa explicitly said that without the constructive work of Europe it would have been impossible to bring the process back on track.

A key reason why Europe has been able make its mark on the agreement and help strengthen its ambition, is that, in Cancun, we managed to collaborate constructively and communicate in a clear and coordinated manner. It has long been said that Europe must speak with one voice, but there cannot be only one voice. Rather, we should decide on the messages together and then communicate them clearly and consistently to the outside world. That's what we did in Cancun. And that is what we should be doing in future to ensure that Europe's word has an influence worthy of the world's largest economy. Cancun did not solve everything. The reduction commitments are not enough to keep the temperature increase below two degrees centigrade and there are other outstanding issues, such as the legal form of the agreement and how to provide the long-term finance. But Cancun proved that the multilateral process can deliver results. Without an agreement the UN process would have been in imminent danger. Politicians and the public might very well have lost faith in the process and discarded it – with nothing to put in its place.

Now we have a deal. But there is still much work ahead of us. Both internationally, where we must still deal with the outstanding issues and domestically where we now have to deliver on what has been decided. In Europe we are already working on it. Next year we present a roadmap for how we can create an intelligent, innovative low-carbon economy by 2050. We do this for the environment, but we also do it for the sake of competitiveness and energy security. In a world with ever more people and fewer fossil energy resources, it goes without saying that the winners will be the ones who are independent of oscillating oil prices, and who can provide energy efficient and innovative solutions.

If there is any task our European Union should take the time to address, it is the task of getting energy security, economic growth and climate conservation to work in unison. The very core of our community is to take on the challenges together, with which Member States cannot deal on their own. That's why it was so encouraging that Europe acted in a constructive and coordinated way in Cancun, and that's why the agreement in Cancun is a victory. Not only for the skillful Mexican presidency and for the multilateral process, but certainly also for Europe.

By Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action