CDC - First Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum

PLEDGE STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN
1^st CAMBODIA DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION FORUM
JUNE 19 -20, 2007

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

As a major development partner who has witnessed the series of events and incidents that took place in this country in the past decades, Japan is pleased to acknowledge the recent achievements by the Royal government of Cambodia to score the most rapid economic growth it has ever enjoyed, and to have reduced poverty in certain development areas.

While applauding its success in certain areas, we also recognize that a solution to one problem inevitably accompanies another challenge. The slow progress in certain governance reform programmes seems to need particular attention and stronger commitments by the government to really face and tackle the heart of the problem that prolongs the reform process. Here, I would like to remind the Royal Government that Japan is willing to help work out any difficulty that impedes progress, in a coordinated effort with other development partners.

Our pledge today represents such a commitment by Japan to assist the Royal government in its endeavour to reach Cambodia Millennium Development Goals. For the Japanese fiscal year 2006, Japan disbursed total of 13.252 billion JPY, which is equivalent to 110.43 million USD, among which bilateral loan accounts for 2.632 billion (=21.93 million USD), grant for 6.506 billion (54.2 million USD), and technical assistance for 4.114 billion (34.3 million USD). Japan anticipates that its assistance for Cambodia in the Japanese fiscal year 2007 (April 2007 - March 2008) will be the same size as or more than the amount provided in the fiscal year 2006. The increase in our ODA for Cambodia follows the pledge made by Japanese Prime Minister ABE during Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to Japan last week, to increase, over the next three years, the amount of 'Japan's ODA for Cambodia as a regional focus of Japan's economic cooperation.

To enhance the effectiveness of our increased assistance and to contribute to poverty reduction, we will seek further dialogue with the government and the donor community to ensure better coordination and collaboration.

Thank you for your attention.