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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