REAKSMEY KONGKEA

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Sovan Kiri, 27, is the only Cambodian youngest Karate-Do Coach who has a five-black belt Dan in Cambodia. He has four siblings including two brothers and two sisters and he is the second brother in his family. His father is Master Trainer named Lach Chan Sovan who has a six-black belt Dan and is also veteran coach and President of the Cambodia Karate-Do Federation (CKF). Kiri started training his Karate-Do skills with his father, Master Trainer Lach Chan Sovann who is the veteran coach in Cambodia since he was seven year olds. “I began training Karate-Do skills with my father since I was seven year-old. I decided to train Karate-Do with my father because I want to improve my health as well as to become a famous Karate-Do fighter or coach in Cambodia in the future. I am now happy because I have achieved my goal and I have also my own club to train the people in Phnom Penh,” Kiri said during an interview with The Southeast Asia Weekly. Kiri pointed out that firs...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Extraordinary Chambers in Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has announced that the co-investigating judge judicial investigations of Case No 002 have been completed and the Hearing of Case No 002 will be taken place in the first quarter of 2011. You Bunleng, ECCC’s Co-Investing Judges, said that the Co-Investigating Judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, have signed the Closing Order for Case File 002, indicting Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith, Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea and sending them for trial on September 15, 2010. “We are pleased to announce that co-investigating judge judicial investigations of Case No 002 has been completed and we have also signed the Closing Order for Case File 002, indicting Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith, Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea and sending them for trial on September 15, 2010,” he said during a press conference on September 16th at the ECC Courts office. The Co-Investigating Judge You Bunleng continued to say that the Co-...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The International Data Group (IDG ASEAN) in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Finance will organize the International Conference on “Enhancing Financial Services Industry with ICT Application” on September 29-30, 2010 at the Diamond Island Convention Center in Phnom Penh. Le Thanh Tam, CEO of IDG ASEAN, Founder and Chairman of CEO & CIO Club, said that it marks the second time as IDG will organize this international conference in Phnom Penh, the Kingdom of Wonder. “We are proud and this is the second time as we are going to organize this international conference on ‘Enhancing Financial Services Industry with ICT Application’ in Cambodia. The purpose of the event is to introduce ICT solutions for modernizing financial sector system by optimizing technology infrastructure to completing professional process, which dedicates to provide the best financial services to enterprises and citizens,” he said during a press conference on September 17th in P...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA H.E. Rafael Dochao Moreno, EU’s Resident in Phnom Penh, said that the European Union (EU) will provide 31 million Euros (about US$ 40 million) for the improvement of the education system and quality in the Kingdom of Cambodia. The main objective of the project was to help improve and promote Cambodia’s education system and quality as well as reduction of the poverty in the country. “The European Union is pleased to provide a total of 31 Million Euros for the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport in strengthening and improving the education system and quality in Cambodia,” he said during his opening remarks at the Mainstreaming Forum on Safeguard and Land for schools on September 17th in Phnom Penh. He added that this EU’s education improvement project will be implemented by the Cambodian Ministry of Education Youth and Sport from 2011 to 2013. H.E. Im Sethy, Minister of Education Youth and Sport, has appreciated with the EU’s hard works and support in working ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KKONGKEA The Project for Flood Protection and Drainage Improvement in Phnom Penh Capital City (Phase II) was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and H.E. Mr. Masafumi KUROKI, Ambassador of Japanese to Cambodia on September 16th. The Prime Minister said that the Flood Protection and Drainage Improvement is very important because it would help mitigating storms and water floods in the east side of middle part of Phnom Penh City where was the political, economic and national culture of Cambodia. He added that the project will also help to improve the living-conditions of Phnom Penh’s people as well as the progress and the development in Cambodia. “I wish to appeal all Cambodian people do not throw wastewater or rubbishes into the Mekong River or pumping water in order to clean our Phnom Penh’s environment and hygiene. I would also like encourage all people to join keeping hygiene, environment and developments in our Phnom Penh capital city,” h...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Royal Government of Cambodia and the Republic of India have made a joint announcement that the two-old friend countries will continue to expand the most Indochina Cambodia and India trade and economic ties in the future. Announcement was made by the visiting Indian President Her Excellency Pratibha Devisingh Patil and His Excellency Dr. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Cambodia during the India-Business Meeting on September 15th at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Phnom Penh. The Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil said that Cambodia and India are over 2000-friendly countries. The modest level of economic ties between India and Cambodia needed to be broadened. She stated that India and Cambodia had started the process of economic liberalization almost together in the 1990s. She added that the pace of economic growth in both countries has accelerated since then. “I am certain it is possible to expand the bilateral ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Senior Minister H.E. Dr. Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, said that Cambodia will send 150 golfers to participate the Golf Friendship Tournament 2010 which will be held on the 8th of December 2010 in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. There are about 600 golfers from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will attend this golf competition. He added that the golf friendship tournament is jointly organized by Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Tourism, Vietnam’s Ministry of Trade and Tourism, and Laotian Ministry of Commerce in aiming at raising the money to assist the poor people and promote the tourists in the three countries. “It marks the second time as Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos will jointly organize the golf friendship tournament in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The purpose of the competition is to raise the money for helping the poor people especially those who are affected by national disasters, bloods, storm and HIV/AIDS,” he told reporters ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) has organized the “Women Football Cup 2010” over two weeks from the 3rd to the 13th of September at Banteay Meanchey Province. A total of 200 women football players from ten football clubs throughout the country have participated in the first women football cup tournament. May Tola, Deputy Secretary-General and Technical Director of the Football Federation of Cambodia, said a total of 200 women footballers whose ages are under 18 from ten women football clubs are selected by the FFC to participate in this football tournament. The ten women football teams including Banteay Meanchey’ Football Tean, Indochina Star Fish’s Football Team, Pursat’s Football Team, Prey Veng Football Team, Kampong Thom’s Football Team, Battambang’s Football Team, Steung Treng’s Football Team, Kandal’s Football Team, Pailin’s Football Team and Siem Reap’s Football Team. “We are pleased and this is the first time as the Football Federation of Cam...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Dr. Sok An, Minister in Charge of the Council of Ministers has announced that Cambodia will host the first Meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee (WHC) in Cambodia in 2012. The Annual Meeting of the World Heritage Committee will take place in Siem Reap province where is a former Khmer empire which has many rich ancient heritage, traditions, arts and culture in the mid 2012 with the participation of 187 countries who are WHC’s members in the world. “As a full member and Vice-Chairman of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2009, Cambodia has the rights to obligate its duties and this will be the first time and historical event that Cambodia will host the Meeting of World Heritage Committee Cambodia, the Kingdom of Wonder,” he said during his opening remarks delivered to the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2011 in Phnom Penh on September 6th. H.E. Dr. Sok An pointed out that the purpose of the meeting is to determine properties which ar...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that a broadening export-led recovery is taking hold since the beginning of the year. Real Gross Domestic Products (GDP) growth is projected to reach 4 ½ to 5 percent in 2010, a significant turnaround from 2009. Olaf Unteroberdoerster, Senior Economist in Charge of IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, said that garment exports and tourist arrivals, notably by air, are bouncing back, both growing between 10 percent to 20 percent in the second quarter of 2010. Construction activity, however, appears to remain sluggish with the growth of most related imports still negative, while a late start of rainy season may dent agricultural output growth. Amid ample liquidity in the banking system, credit growth has turned the corner and, on current trends, could run well above 20 percent in the second half of the year. Headline CPI inflation is projected to average 4 percent this year. “Significant risks continue to cloud g...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The National AIDS Authority’s officials have announced that despite the rate of Cambodian people who have been affected by HIV/AIDS have declined but many people now are still facing with new wave of HIV/AIDS affection in the country. H.E. Dr. Nuth Sokhom, Senior Minister and Chairman of the National AIDS Authority, said that event though the epidemic of HIV/AIDS has been decreased recently but it is still a main concern for Cambodian people and this problem is also affecting on development of human resources and the progress in the country. “Despite the rate of people who has been affected by HIV/AIDS now declined but Cambodia is still worry about the outbreak of the second wave of disease epidemic especially for those who are high risk with this disease,” he said during his opening remarks at the “HIV/AIDS Prevention Workshop” on September 9th in Phnom Penh. The Senior Minister pointed out that the risky groups who are now challenging with the second wave of ...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA The World Bank (WB) has provided US$ 23 million of credit and grants aid for the higher education quality and capacity improvement project in Cambodia. The credit and grant aid agreements was signed on September 7th between H.E. Dr. Aun Porn Moniroth, Minister attached to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Mrs. Annette Dixon, World Bank Country Director to Cambodia. The signing ceremony was under the presidency of Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Keat Chhon, Minister of Economy and Finance, and Dr. Justin Lin, Senior Vice President of the World Bank. “The total amount of funding for the higher education quality and capacity improvement project under the credit and grant aid agreements that we are signing today is US$ 23 million which comprises of US$ 11.5 million in credit and 11.5 million in grant aid,” H.E. Dr. Aun Porn Moniroth said before the singing ceremony. H.E. Dr. Aun Porn Moniroth said during the last 10 ye...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has praised about the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and economic growth in the period of three decades made by Cambodian government. He said since the first national election in 1993, Cambodian government had been achieved its sustainable GDP, economic growth and social developments in the country. The Cambodian economy was grown approximately 6.3 percent per annum during 1994-1998, 8.8 percent during 1999-2003 averaged 8.8 percent and 10.8 percent during 2004-2008. “We, Cambodians, understand very well that peace and political stability are pre-requisites for scaling up and sustainable socio-economic development. In this regards, the “Win-Win Policy” of national recognition that I initiated and implemented have brought full peace, national recognition and genuine territorial unity since 1998. Finally, we ended the Khmer Rouge regime and the remaining Khmer Rouge political and military forces were integrated into the main st...

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Cambodian leaders have joined UN officials and international and regional experts in calling for a redoubling of efforts to increase the number of women in the country’s legislative body to 30 percent, a target required to achieve the Millennium Development Goal by the target year of 2015. The message was the focus of the “Workshop on Achieving MDG 3 by 2015” which was attended by senior members of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Members of the Cambodian Parliament, UN representatives, regional and international legislators and experts, and members of civil society organizations. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On, said that Cambodian government has committed to improve women’s status and increase the number of women to participate in politics and leadership in all levels in the country. “The Royal Government of Cambodia has been taking steps to increase to the maximum proportion of women’s participation in all levels of national institutions. Howeve...