Over the past decade, total development aid to Cambodia has exceeded $10 billion, and the country’s NGOs would like to know where all that money is going.
At a workshop on aid efficiency in the capital yesterday, NGO workers called for the $3.54 billion 2014 Draft Budget to be made public so the dispersal of public monies and donations can be analysed.
“They say the draft budget is confidential government information … but in a democratic country, citizens have a right to this information,” said Tek Vannara, deputy executive director of the NGO Forum, which hosted the event. “Sometimes the government doesn’t understand that aid is not for them, but for us.”
Vannara said the NGO Forum asks for a copy of the draft budget every year, to little or no avail.
“Last year we got half the budget information after it was finalised. This year, I hope we will get the full document to analyse how the donor money is used,” he said. “We sent letters to the new government and the minister of economy and finance requesting a copy: one on the 18th of October, and one yesterday.”
In 2012, Cambodia received an aid package totaling $1.38 billion – more than half of that year’s $2.6 billion budget.
But at yesterday’s workshop, a report reviewing the country’s capacity for delivering aid found much of the funding is delivered directly to projects and organisations rather than relying on government distribution – a process which only complicates an already murky system.
“It’s very simple: We need to know where the budget is spent and cannot currently see the flow of money,” said Pak Kimcheoun, research consultant for Cambodian Economic Association. “We have no clear system to link the donor money to the target areas … so we cannot know if [the aid] is used effectively or how much is being given back to the donor.”
According to an International Budget Partnership report released earlier this year, Cambodia falls below Zimbabwe and Tajikistan in terms of budget transparency.
Yet, the National Assembly “has the full authority to release the annual Draft Budget Law”, according to the report.
“It’s not a technical problem, it’s a political transparency problem,” Vanarra said.
Government officials could not answer whether the draft report will be made public this year.
“It is government property,” said government spokesman Phay Siphan. When reached by phone yesterday, newly appointed Economy and Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth hung up when asked when the draft report would be released.
Until it is, NGO officials allege the government falls short of its responsibilities.
“Transparency in the budgeting process is very important for good governance and accountability which any democratic and open government seeks to practice,” said Kol Preap, executive director of Transparency International Cambodia.
6 comments:
YOU FORGOT YOUR LONG LOST COUSIN!!!
where is the beef? mi bun rany??
2:02 AM,
How many cousins did you lost, Vietcong DOG?
BUN NAREE HUN SEN must gave billion dollars back to Cambodian people, every year BUN RANNEE has got billion dollars form Cambodian Red Cross donation, every Minister must gave at least 10 million dollars to BU RANEE, and also TREE PHEAP the one cut Cambodian timber for saling to China gave BUNRANEE million dollars, and also BUNRANEE got a lot of million dollars from selling Koh Pich, Beng Kok and also Lim Kean Hor Minister of Water resources sole Cambodian sand to Singapore, Vietnam and India gave million dollars to BUN RANEE HUN SEN, so I appeal all Cambodian people no need to say Thanks to BUNRANEE when you got a litle rice from her ? She has billion dollars in her Bank account now.
She is a VC and is working for national interest, definitely not khmer national interest, because she is not khmer to start with. The VC did this to Laos, Chompa, Khmer Krom and now, the whole Srok KHmer. It is time for all us to wake up. Just get rid of her and everything will be solved. No more VC in our system, only pure khmer who needs to work for khmer natiional interests, thats it!.
I want to tell Bun Ranny that you are a fake, and stop playing game with our people, because we already know who you really are. just take of our traditional clothes and go back to VN to wear yours. Stop trying to nice, when you are not. You slept with so many of your VC men and ended up have a few of your VC chidren until they all dumbed to be with Hun and nominated him to be our leader and started to pull you along.
You nothing but a VC whore and is continue to be one forever and ever, in order to ruin khmers and their nation, so enough is enough, just fk off now because we don't need you anymore. You are nothing but a thief commander, again just piss off now!.
BUNRANEE HUN SEN had slept with LE DEC THOR a top Vietnamese Army produced one sun his name is HUN MANET, this guy is not HUN SEN's son and this guy Vietnamese want him to be Cambodian Prim Minister in the future, if he success Cambodia will be finished.
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