PHNOM PENH, Feb.
1, 2012– Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An said that a memorandum of
understanding signed by India and Cambodia focuses on human resource
development and training in ICT, which also plays a vital role in attracting
more investment.
India’s grant
assistance of $0.52 million will be invested in supporting Cambodian trainees
who will study in India for six months, and the establisshment of
Cambodia-India Centres of Excellence and Talent in Information Technology in
Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, where 1500 Cambodians will be trained
by Cambodians and two Indian experts.
H.E. Dr. Sok An,
who presided over the signing ceremony, said that under the wise leadership of
Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, “Cambodia has
adopted very liberal policies in the ICT sector”.
“We understand
that the improvement of ICT is crucial for Cambodia to achieve economic
competitiveness,” Dr. Sok An told the audience.
“The Royal
Government of Cambodia is committed to the expansion of ICT services with good
quality and reasonable pricing. Cambodia is also keen to attract more
ICT-related investment.”
The Deputy Prime
Minister stressed that “in today’s economy, a world class commitment to
technology is needed, and it is fortunate that the Kingdom of Cambodia and the
Republic of India have strong mutual relations in the field of ICT”.
The Indian
Ambassador to Cambodia, H.E. Rajesh K. Sachdeva, said that the centres are intended
to educate Cambodian citizens and government officials on the use of
information technology.
India is well
known for its information technology. The Ambassador said after the signing
ceremony that “this is part of our intention to cooperate with Cambodia on
capacity building and human resource development”.
Some 870
Cambodians have been trained in various fields of science and social science in
India.
Dr. Sok An said
that Cambodia’s ICT sector has greatly improved from analogue to GSM 3.5G and
hopes that 4G technology would be introduced in the near future.
Cambodia
currently has eight mobile and eight fixed-phone operators. Cambodia is one of
the world’s fastest growing telecoms industries, with 12.5 million mobile phone
users, 500,000 landline users and 680,000 internet subscribers, said Dr. Sok
An.
The number of
internet service providers has increased to 27 companies offering competitive
prices and quality service.
Dr. Sok An also
expressed the Royal Government’s appreciation to the Vietnamese Viettel
Corporation for its continuing support to Cambodia, especially to the National
Information Communications Technology Development Authority in implementing the
Provincial Administration Information System.