AFP
PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA vowed on Wednesday to use international aid effectively and bring reforms after criticism that billions of dollars in donor money has done little to improve the impoverished country.
Opening a two-day meeting between the government, donors and development partners, Prime Minister Hun Sen said the country would continue public administration, land, judicial and financial reforms.
'The royal government has made its utmost efforts to firmly and deeply implement various reform programs and consider them as a life or death issue for Cambodia,' he said. Mr Hun Sen went on to say his government will ensure 'the effective, transparent and accountable utilisation of the development resources provided by development partners.'
But, speaking on behalf of donors, World Bank country director Annette Dixon complained 'progress has been limited' in government work to improve strategic planning and aid management. 'It is important for the government to take the lead in aligning resources to development priorities,' she said.
The World Bank last week began to investigate allegations that mismanagement of its US$28.8 million (S$40.6 milion) land-titling project has left more than 20,000 people facing forced eviction from their homes in the capital Phnom Penh. The programme was created to implement a system of land ownership in Cambodia after the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime destroyed legal documents, but there has been criticism about evictions at the hands of the army and police.
Formal pledges of aid to Cambodia will be announced on Thursday and are expected to reel in over one billion dollars for this year. However, activists have complained of rampant cronyism and corruption. Cambodia received more than US$951 million in pledges last year, despite demands by rights groups that donors get tough on the government's apparent refusal to reform. 'The Cambodian government has been promising to reform for years but nothing had changed,' Global Witness campaigns director Gavin Hayman said in a statement. 'Donors simply cannot continue to turn a blind eye.'
Opening a two-day meeting between the government, donors and development partners, Prime Minister Hun Sen said the country would continue public administration, land, judicial and financial reforms.
'The royal government has made its utmost efforts to firmly and deeply implement various reform programs and consider them as a life or death issue for Cambodia,' he said. Mr Hun Sen went on to say his government will ensure 'the effective, transparent and accountable utilisation of the development resources provided by development partners.'
But, speaking on behalf of donors, World Bank country director Annette Dixon complained 'progress has been limited' in government work to improve strategic planning and aid management. 'It is important for the government to take the lead in aligning resources to development priorities,' she said.
The World Bank last week began to investigate allegations that mismanagement of its US$28.8 million (S$40.6 milion) land-titling project has left more than 20,000 people facing forced eviction from their homes in the capital Phnom Penh. The programme was created to implement a system of land ownership in Cambodia after the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime destroyed legal documents, but there has been criticism about evictions at the hands of the army and police.
Formal pledges of aid to Cambodia will be announced on Thursday and are expected to reel in over one billion dollars for this year. However, activists have complained of rampant cronyism and corruption. Cambodia received more than US$951 million in pledges last year, despite demands by rights groups that donors get tough on the government's apparent refusal to reform. 'The Cambodian government has been promising to reform for years but nothing had changed,' Global Witness campaigns director Gavin Hayman said in a statement. 'Donors simply cannot continue to turn a blind eye.'
8 comments:
Donors are behind dictatorship in Cambodia and are to be blames for what has been destructions of our country and are responsible for future damages that causes by Hun Sen regime. Donors are the culprit of supporting thugs in Cambodia and will be responsible.
Dear all Donor-countries,
How many more lies are enough for all of you to take into accounts to consider for more AIDS to this Hanoi's puppet regime of Dr.Hun Xen???
This past corruption, non-transparecies of very very bad governance were enough to deserve for not giving any more aids.
We Cambodia does not appreciated the aids from donors any more, but instead find it a shame for those donors who continue to support repression and strenghthen dictatorship in Cambodia we do not welcome you, because you are just as
stupid blind idiots that does not share our pain and suffering from Communist and Dictators. You are the culprits as well, so go to hell all your stupid donors.
Donors certainly will spell out the conditions and then go to sleep for along time until next meeting. The money surely will be there for Cambodia. The Cambodian Govern't needs just do little show off with the donors and that's it.
Some expatriates working in Cambodia have been earning a huge salaries from the donors'money. And the Govern't has something to share with them so that everyone at the upper level win. Few drops will be trickling down to the rest of Cambodian population.
CDC is also held accountable for mismanagement of the funds.
If CDC is there for indivdual survival with the blind eyes, then remove them or international committee should be set up, for monitoring funds with transparency.
Also, a royal commission should be formed and work closely with CDC and report directly to the king.
This would curb the corruption that happen to be in the government frame work.
Provided the king takes his prescribed roles seriously, the better and fruitful society will rise.
Neang SA
Cleaned and running waters for the poors in the rural area please...
Idiot donor countries let the one eye man lies and lies and lies...
These donor country are to blame to for supporting the dictator man.
heheheh... I heard our "samdech" used the words "vision" and "goals" in his address to the donor countries reps...heheheh...vision...goals...rectangular strategy...heheheh..
nice show, though, year, after year...
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