AmCam Friendship Week in Siem Reap province.
Buth Reakmey Kongkea
About 200 people attended the “2023 American-Cambodian
Friendship Week”in Siem Reap on Wednesday to boost social development, promote
youth education and vocational training, human resources, healthcare, and
development of the tourism sector.
The event was attended by US embassy staff, government
officials, civil society members, police and military officers, and businesses
and other development partners, and was organised by the US Embassy in Phnom
Penh and presided over by US Ambassador W. Patrick.
The ambassador said that Siem Reap is a key tourism and
economic hub for Cambodia and is also the cultural, spiritual and historic
heart of the Kingdom.
He said that to develop education, healthcare, tourism and
generate jobs in Cambodia, the US Embassy in Phnom Penh has provided financial
support to the government via its development partners working in Siem Reap
province.
The ambassador emphasised that the main projects include the
Digital Workforce Development (DWD)
Career Centre (funded by USAID), Multidrug-resistant TB Treatment Programme and
Laboratory (funded by USAID), and cultural preservation which continues the
restoration of the 9th century Phnom Bakheng temple in Siem Reap province.
“This is the third time during my tenure as ambassador that
we’ve been able to bring the broad interagency MSC team to Cambodia’s
northwest,” said Ambassador W. Patrick.
“It’s always an amazing experience for us to connect and
engage with our partners in the region. We have many people from the American
Embassy in Cambodia who have ventured north to be with you,” he said.
The ambassador said the US has had bilateral diplomatic ties
with Cambodia for 73 years.
Cambodia didn’t achieve independence until 1953, so for
three years the US already recognised the potential of Cambodia as an
independent sovereign nation.
“Many of you here tonight are involved in tourism and have
struggled in recent years. However, the United States has remained a steadfast
friend and partner,” he said
He said that the US Embassy has partnered with local groups
in the treatment of tuberculosis and also supported the local blood bank and
other health programmes, working with law enforcement, in NGOs on a number of
projects, fought crime, but in particular, protected children.
Yun Linne, the Deputy Governor of Siem Reap province, told
Khmer Times that the US embassy through its development partners has provided
the Siem Reap Provincial Administration with a lot of assistance, especially in
education, human resources training, healthcare, agriculture, and temple
restoration.
He said that recently the embassy provided $450,000 in funds
to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts to continue the restoration of the 9th
century Phnom Bakheng temple.
He added that the embassy has also provided more than 400
scholarships to Cambodian students to pursue higher education in the US.
According to the US Embassy’s report, since 2001, the US has
provided almost $6 million for cultural preservation projects, including grants
to restore Preah Vihear temple, support for the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum,
creating digital inventories for objects in provincial museums, and educating
the public on protecting cultural heritage.
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