Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum (CDCF)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 4-5 December 2008

 

Deputy Prime Minister KEAT CHHON, M.P.
Minister of Economy and Finance
First Vice-Chairman, Council for the Development of Cambodia
Chairman, CDCF
Royal Government of Cambodia

Closing Remarks


- Colleagues from the Government
- Honorable Ambassadors, Distinguished Representatives of Development Partners
- Ladies and Gentlemen

  1. Many thanks to Mr Qimiao Fan, Country Manager of the World Bank, for providing the summary view of our development partners as we bring our meeting to a close. I would also like to personally thank Mr Fan for agreeing to perform the function of Lead Development Partner Facilitator for the duration of our meeting. Many of the views he has expressed certainly resonate strongly with my own and, I am sure, with those of my colleagues in the Royal Government. This shows that, in many policy areas, we have a similar view of the challenges we face and the measures we must take to ensure that we stay on track to reach our development goals.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

  1. Please allow me to say that it has once again been a sincere privilege to chair this meeting of the Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum. I feel that this CDCF modality, which has now provided the format for our last two high-level meetings, bears the hallmark of strong Government ownership and committed partnership. I am sure you would agree that this provides an excellent platform for our collaboration together in the years ahead.

  2. The Royal Government therefore remains committed to conducting regular high-level and policy coordination consultations with our partners as we consider this to be an integral part of our development management strategy. As many of our discussions over the last two days have adequately emphasised, we must acknowledge – for better or for worse - the close ties that exist between all countries in this globalised world, and we must ensure that we can maximise the benefits by learning from one another and supporting each other so that each of us can meet our global commitments and play our part on the world stage. It is perhaps also opportune to reaffirm the commitment of Government to making the TWG-GDCC structure an increasingly effective mechanism for dialogue, partnership-building and for supporting the implementation of the NSDP.

  3. I thank each of you for participating in such a constructive manner and ensuring that, even where we have some difficult decisions to make, we know that everyone here is committed to the development of our country. At this stage, I would particularly like to thank my colleague and alternate chair, Dr. Aun Porn Moniroth, and also Chhieng Yanara and his staff at the Cambodian Rehabilitation and Development Board, as well as the interpreters, who, as usual, have performed tirelessly to facilitate good communications. I would also like to thank the TWG Chairs and other Government colleagues from the Technical Working Groups. These TWGs, which of course include facilitation and representation from our development partners, as well as from NGOs and civil society organisations, deserve much of the credit for preparing the statements and analytical work that has informed much of our discussion. I therefore thank each of you - Government, development partner and civil society colleagues - for your contributions.

  4. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, I have two short administrative announcements:

  • First, I would like to propose that, subject to discussion and agreement within Government and with our development partners, we provisionally set the date for our next CDCF meeting for May 2010.

  • Second, following the closing of this meeting, a Press Conference for the CDCF chair will be organized in this room.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

  1. This brings us to the end of our meeting and I thank you once again for your participation. For those of you who have traveled to join us here in Phnom Penh for this second CDCF meeting, please allow me to wish you a safe journey home. Our second Cambodia Development Cooperation Forum is formally closed.

 

THANK YOU

 


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