CAMBODIA MARKS THE 49TH ASEAN DAY

We reaffirmed about joint determination to

further deepen and strengthen our ASEAN

Community, said H.E. Prak Sokhonn, adding

that thanks to joint efforts in ASEAN and

strong support from friends and partners

outside the region, we really attain success in

a community that has common attention and

that contributes to peace and prosperity in

the region and the world.

ASEAN was founded on 8 August, 1967 in

Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the

ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by

the five founding members, namely Indonesia,

Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and

Thailand. Later, Brunei Darussalam joined the

association in 1984, then Viet Nam in 1995,

Lao PDR and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia

in 1999.

To show the historical significance of

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

(ASEAN)’s path to achieve peace, stability and

development, the flag hosting ceremony

marking the 49th ASEAN Day was held at the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International

Cooperation (MFA-IC) on 8 August with the

participation of foreign ambassadors accredited

to Cambodia.

Cambodian Senior Minister and Minister of

MFA-IC H.E. Prak Sokhonn, who presided over

the event, expressed the ASEAN Community’s

pride to have common identity and vision for

prosperity and solidarity.

“I am very convinced that the ASEAN’s flag

being hosted now symbolises the unity and

hope of around 628 million ASEAN people,”

underlined the Cambodian top diplomat.

Cambodian Senior Minister and Minister of

Economy and Finance H.E. Aun Porn Moniroth

received here recently Vice President of Asian

Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Dr. Joachim

von Amsberg.

During the meeting, Mr. Joachim von Amsberg

said that as a development partner, AIIB has been

ready to response effectively to Cambodia’s

financial need for the development of physical

CCoonnttiinnuueedd oonn ppaaggee ((22))

CAMBODIAN FINANCEMINISTER RECEIVESVICE PRESIDENT OFAIIB DR. JOACHIM VONAMSBERG

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn commemorated the 49th anniversary of the ASEAN Day in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 8 August 2016 atthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

ROYAL GOVERNMENTINCREASES ANGKOR’SENTRANCE FEES

ISSUE 33: 08 - 14 AUGUST 2016

The entrance fees for the Angkor Archeological

Park in Siem Reap province, a UNESCO’s World

Heritage Site, will increase from February next

year, according to an announcement of the

Angkor Institution, the state-owned agency in

charge of Angkor income management.

“From 1 February, 2017 onwards, the Royal

Government of Cambodia will change the

entrance fees for the Angkor temples as follows:

one-day pass costs US$37, three-day pass US$62,

and seven-day pass US$72,” it pointed out.

CCoonnttiinnuueedd oonn ppaaggee ((22))

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Weekly publication of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia to UK, Denmark,Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Ethiopia and African Union

CAMBODIAN DEFENSE MINISTER MEETSINDONESIAN COUNTERPART

CAMBODIAN FINAN…

infrastructure and investment in other economic

productivity sectors, said a spokesperson of the

Ministry of Economy and Finance.

For his part, added the same source, H.E. Aun

Porn Moniroth requested AIIB to pay special

attention to members of the least developed

countries, including Cambodia, by setting forth

necessary measures as fast as possible to provide

loans and grant financing in order to prepare

policy and strengthen capacity in support of

public-private partnerships.

ROYAL GOVERNMEN….

US$2 from each ticket sold will be donated to the

Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospitals in support of

their mission of providing free treatment to

Cambodian children, added the announcement.

The current entrance fees are US$20, US$40, and

US$60 for one-day, three-day and seven-day

tickets, respectively.

In the first seven months of this year, Angkor

temples attracted a total of 1,260,270 foreign

tourists, up 1.76 percent compared to the same

period last year, generating more than US$35.87

million as income, up 2.33 percent.

CAMBODIAN EXPERTS

DISCUSS NUCLEAR USE

The General Secretariat of the National Council

for Sustainable Development hosted early this

week the Second Meeting of the National

Working Group for Coordinating Cambodia-

Russia Cooperation in Nuclear Applications for

Peaceful Purposes.

According to the Ministry of Environment’s news

release, the meeting took place under the

presidency of H.E. Tin Ponlok, Secretary General

of the National Council for Sustainable

Development, and attended by 24 experts from

different state agencies.

The main aim of the meeting is to discuss the

draft agreement between the Royal Government

of Cambodia and the Government of Russia on

the cooperation in nuclear applications for

peaceful purposes, it pointed out. The meeting

also discussed about selection of Cambodian

students to study nuclear power in Russia.

ISSUE 33: 08 - 14 AUGUST 2016

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Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister

of National Defense H.E. Gen. Tea Banh held a

bilateral talk on 10 August with visiting Indonesian

Defense Minister H.E. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu.

During the talks, both defense ministers

exchanged views on the current regional and

international situation as well as the peacekeeping

operation in the region and the world.

H.E. Gen Tea Banh spoke highly of the

cooperation between the two countries and

expressed thanks to the Indonesian side for its

support to the peace building, reconstruction

and development of Cambodia, while H.E. Gen.

Ryamizard Ryacudu praised Cambodia for her

fast progress and recalled his participation in

the United Nations Transitional Authority in

Cambodia (UNTAC)’s mission in Kampong

Thom province in the 1990s.

According to the Ministry of National Defense’s

news release, the two defense ministers

reaffirmed their commitment to further

expand the existing cooperation in the military

sector.

H.E. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu arrived here

yesterday afternoon for a three-day visit in the

Kingdom.

DPM HOR NAMHONG HIGHLIGHTS CAMBODIAAND CHINA RELATIONS

Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Hor Namhong has

highlighted the excellent long-lasting relations

and fruitful cooperation between Cambodia

and China, which have played an important

part in building Cambodia nowadays.

The remarks were made in the farewell party

hosted by outgoing Chinese Ambassador to

Cambodia H.E. Ms. Bu Jianguo in Phnom Penh

on 7 August.

On the occasion, the Cambodian DPM highly

valued H.E. Ms. Bu Jianguo’s three-year

diplomatic mission in Cambodia in the

strengthening of cooperation between

Cambodia and China, which reached the level of

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of

Cooperation in 2014.

During her diplomatic term, he added, the

Chinese government has provided assistance to

Cambodia to build four roads, 7 hydropower

dams, and four bridges.

Chinese investment ranks top among foreign

investments in Cambodia, while the number of

Chinese tourists visiting the Kingdom reached

600,000 last year, H.E. Hor Namhong said.

The two-way trade in 2015-2016 was valued at

US$4.5 billion, and the governments of the two

countries agreed to boost the bilateral trade up

to US$5 billion this year, he underlined.

For her part, the outgoing Chinese diplomat

lauded the good partnership between

Cambodia and China, adding that their political

mutual trust have been enhanced and both

countries have coordinated and worked

together in the regional and international

arenas.

CAMBODIA HASANOTHER JOURNALISTNETWORKCambodia has another journalist network, namely

the Union of Journalist Federations of Cambodia

(UJFC), officially recognised this week.

Headed by long-standing reporter Mr. Huy Vannak,

the UJFC is committed to contribute to the

advancement of journalists’ professional capacity

and code of conduct.

The union, as shared by Mr. Huy Vannak, represents

combined potential and strength that allow the

journalists to not only report about what is

happening in the society, but also qualify the

thoughts in the society.

Key membership benefits of the union include legal

protection right, technical legal counseling,

improvement of professional skills and networking.

It will, he added, also enable a forum for the

member journalists to share their knowledge,

experience and skills.

To start with, the UJFC – with nine-member

managing committee – is working on social security

fund to assist member journalists in difficulties.

To date, there are 39 journalist associations,

networks and unions officially registered and

recognised by the Ministry of Information.

PANALPINA SETTLES INPHNOM PENHSwitzerland-based Panalpina Group, the world’s

leading provider of forwarding and logistics

services, specializing in intercontinental air and

ocean freight and associated supply chain

management solutions, officially opened its own

office in Cambodia on 8 August.

Sven Marcus Raudszus, CEO of Panalpina Asia

Pacific Management Pte. Ltd. and Panalpina

World Transport (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said the

company’s presence in Cambodia is an important

milestone to strengthen and develop its presence

in Asia. Panalpina operates a network of some

500 branches in more than 80 countries.

He pointed out that the manufacturing sector in

Cambodia was expanding rapidly and there was a

burgeoning demand for logistics services across

the Cambodia-Thailand and Cambodia-Vietnam

borders, with the Kingdom as a production base.

V I S I O N S O F C A M B O D I A

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A project agreement that will oversee the use

of the funds generated by Cambodia’s carbon

credit sale to the Disney Company signed by the

Royal Government of Cambodia and the

Wildlife Conservation Society on 11 August,

said a press release of the U.S. Embassy in

Phnom Penh.

Minister of Environment H.E. Say Samal, and

U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. William A.

Heidt will preside over the signing ceremony to

be held at the Ministry of Environment, it

pointed out.

The Royal Government of Cambodia in

partnership with WCS has sold successfully the

first carbon credits from a climate change

mitigation project in Keo Seima Wildlife

Sanctuary, which encompasses a total area of

292,690 hectares to Disney.

The Keo Seima Project, under the international

approach called REDD+ (Reduced Emissions

from avoided Deforestation and Degradation),

is projected to avoid the emission of more

than 14 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents

over the first 10-year period between 2010-

and 2019.

CAMBODIA AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONSOCIETY TO SIGN AGREEMENT TO DISNEYCARBON CREDIT SALE

COMMERCE MINISTRY, MICROSOFT PREPAREFOR NEW APPLICATION “TRANSLATOR HUB-KHMER”“Translator HUB-Khmer” is a joint project to be

implemented by the Cambodian Ministry of

Commerce and Microsoft under their MoU on

ICT cooperation signed here on 9 August, said

H.E. Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce, at the

signing ceremony.

This new application is aimed to break down

the language barrier by providing simultaneous

translation from one language to another over

the internet, he explained.

Such technology would facilitate

communication and eliminate barriers to

businessmen and investors, added H.E.

Minister.

“The availability of this technology could

strengthen Cambodia’s ability to compete and

take advantage of new opportunities brought

about by the ASEAN regional integration,” he

said.

To prepare for this Translator Hub-Khmer

project, the Ministry of Commerce is tasked to

arrange for the manpower and experts

required to upload at least 100,000 parallel

sentences, both in English and in Khmer as well

as to provide physical space necessary to

deliver the related workshop, said a press

release of the Ministry of Commerce.

Meanwhile, it pointed out, Microsoft is

responsible for conducting a workshop on site

to teach students and teachers how to use the

translation platform to upload Khmer phrases,

and to train programmers. It will also work with

the ministry to enhance the ICT ecosystem and

talent in Cambodia by engaging developers,

startups, and educators, leveraging Microsoft

resources for youth and startups (called

YouthSpark and BizSpark), Microsoft innovative

educators, and Microsoft Philanthropies, as

well as providing expert commentary and best

international policy and practice on ICT

matters, including cloud computing,

Intellectual Property, e-commerce, etc.

“Our mission is to empower every person and

organisation to achieve more, and we believe

that our collaboration with the Ministry of

Commerce will strengthen ICT as pillar of

Cambodian development and

competitiveness,” said Ms. Michelle Simmons,

General Manager for New Markets, Microsoft.

According to a press release of the Ministry of

Commerce, the MoU covers 10 clauses and

identifies the roles and responsibilities of the

two institutions for fruitful cooperation. It

clearly sets out the intention of both parties to

engage in consultation to formulate concrete

cooperation schedules and exercise reasonable

efforts and good faith to implement the

collaboration.

ISSUE 33: 08 - 14 AUGUST 2016

Visions of Cambodia is produced by the Press and Information Unit, Royal Embassy of Cambodia64 Brondesbury Park l Willesden Green l London NW6 7AT l United Kingdom l Tel: +44(0)208 451 7850 www.cambodianembassy.org.uk 4

Kep was once the top beach destination in Cambodia.

This now quiet beach town is near the border with

Vietnam. It is easy to reach Kep from Phnom Penh; a

mere 4 hours from the capitol, and about 45 minutes

from Kampot. Kep is definitely scenic with relatively

shorter stretch of sand leading to surrounding

mangrove forests and rocky coastal areas. The best

attraction here is its seafood. Crab is plentiful

offshore, and is a local specialty.

“Discover the Beaches in Cambodia…

An escape to the ultimate sandy site”

Preah Sihanouk (Sihanoukville), also known locally as

Kompong Som, got inducted into the Most Beautiful Bays

in the World Club. The beaches are lined with fined pearl-

while sand along most parts of the shore around the bay.

The big attractions around here are the four beaches the

offshore islands ringing the headland. Scuba diving and

snorkeling are very popular in Sihanoukville.

Crab baskets at Kep

Song Saa Private Island Resort lies secluded in this

magnificent seascape, just 35 minutes by boat from the

port of Sihanoukville. Most of the islands remain

undeveloped – deserted oases of virgin rainforests, tropical

reefs and glistening white beaches. It is an exclusive 20

villa resort to meet top end market demand for luxury

hotels. The ultimate Cambodia island experience will

incorporate a waterfront infinity edge pool, rainforest

spa/wellness center, sailing and diving centre on the beach

and a large over water restaurant and bar.