- Posted on: May 16, 2017
On April 04-05, 2017, the German-Cambodian Governmental Negotiations on Development Cooperation were held at the Government Palace, Phnom Penh. The Cambodian delegation was headed by H.E. Chhieng Yanara, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister, and Secretary General of CRDB/CDC. The German delegation was headed by Mr. Klaus Supp, Head of Division of China, Central Asia, East Asia, Laos and Cambodia of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Dr. Ingo Karsten, German Ambassador to Cambodia participated in the Negotiations along with other representatives from the German Embassy, from 18 government ministries and agencies as well as from GIZ and KfW.
The purpose of the negotiation was to discuss the main achievements, challenges and issues of joint projects and programs, and the future development cooperation between the two countries. The talks were conducted successfully in the spirit of mutual understanding and partnership. Cambodian-German development cooperation follows a rights-based approach. Against this background, an open and constructive dialogue on the importance of human rights, democratic pluralism and the upcoming commune elections was addressed.
„I am deeply impressed by the trustful and frank dialogue between both sides, which is built on 50 years of diplomatic relations between our two nations”, the German Ambassador Dr. Karsten said. The Cambodian side expressed its appreciation for German cooperation and particularly requested German expertise for the implementation of the Cambodian Industrial Development Policy.
As a result of the Negotiations, both parties agreed to continue cooperation in three priority sectors of the Royal Government as outline in the Rectangular Strategy Phase III—Health, Rural Development, and Governance. The German government committed to provide grant funding for 2017/2018 with a total amount of about EUR 36.8 million (approximately USD 40 Million). With this result the level of financial commitments of previous years could be maintained by the German government – despite the challenges German development cooperation is facing with a view to the global refugee crisis.
Photo and text were provided by German Embassy Phnom Penh.