By Ek Tha
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 13, 2013 (PRU) – Both Japanese
Ambassador and Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An shared the view that Cambodia
needs more foreign direct investment (FDI).
His Excellency the Ambassador Masafumi Kuroki said
that Japanese investors are eyeing Cambodia thanks to the fact that the country
has moved beyond the phase of peace building and reconstruction into the stage
of “full peace and development”. Overseas
development assistance (ODA) is not enough to support its growth, and thus
Cambodia needs more FDI.
His Excellency Ambassador’s view was shared by His
Excellency Dr. Sok An, who is also Minister in charge of the Office of the
Council of Ministers, who said that “before ODA from Japan was important and
now it is similarly important that we see more and more Japanese investors are
coming to Cambodia.”
“This is opening a new page in our bilateral
cooperation… we have good memories of cooperation in the form of ODA and now also
Japanese investment,” the Deputy Prime Minister lauded.
Since the Japanese Peace Keeping Operation corps was
dispatched to Cambodia in 1992, Japan has not only extended its diplomatic
efforts for the political restoration of peace and stability, but also made
available a significant portion of its ODA resources in support of the physical
and social rehabilitation of war-torn Cambodia. Japan has been one of
Cambodia’s key donor partners. Japan’s assistance for Cambodia are three types:
general grant, technical cooperation, and loans.
Japan’s grant for Cambodia was $301.41 million (2010-
2012), technical cooperation was $280.844 million (2005 – 2012), and $139.3
million in loans (2010 – 2012).
Bilateral trade was more than $500 million in 2011 and
it reached $479 million for the first six months of last year, while investment
from Japan to Cambodia had grown from $120 million U.S. in 2011 to nearly $250
million last year.
In farewelling Ambassador Masafumi Kuroki after his
three-and-a-half year posting in Cambodia, Dr. Sok An congratulated him for his
successful and positive leadership in the field of culture, recalling that
Japan is also co-chair along with France in the International Co-Coordinating
Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor,
(ICC-Angkor), established in 1993 that paved the way for the successful
international collaboration with Apsara National Authority over the period
of twenty years.
Tokyo is the largest donor, having
contributed more than 44 per cent or $79 millions, of the ECCC’s total
budget since 2006. Ambassador Kuroki also reiterated Japan’ concern over the
shortfall budget of the national side of the ECCC as well as the need for the
court to speed up its work to achieve a verdict in Case 002 which Japan regards
as the highest priority for the ECCC.
His Excellency Dr. Sok An and His Excellency Ambassador
Kuroki will both attend the opening of the three-day ‘KIZUNA’ friendship event
at the Angkor-Kizuna Hall of Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Centre (CJCC) on
Thursday 21st February, when Japanese and Cambodian artists along with drums
will rock the stage. End