KOREA HELPS $3.5MILLION ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN CAMBODIA

Posted by weekly on July 1, 2011 in News | 0 Comment

The Ministry of Planning and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) of the Republic of Korea on June 24 signed an agreement on “Project for the Establishment of Cambodia’s National Science and Technology Master Plan 2014-2020” with total estimated budget US$ 3.5 million to contribute to the sustainable socioeconomic development of Cambodia through the establishment of the National Science and Technology Master Plan, which will guide domestic research and develop infrastructure building, capability expansion, and government research projects.

The Grant Aid agreement was signed by Senior Minister H.E. Chhay Than, Minister of Planning Ministry and Mr. Shin Ei Cheol, representative of KOICA and it was also attended by H.E. Chang Ho Jin, Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Kingdom of Cambodia.

H.E. Chhay Than said since 1997, the relationship between Cambodia and Korea is getting closer and closer. Now Korea has become a major partner on tourism, investment sectors and other fields.

He added: Moreover, it will help improve the quality and quantity of human resources for the development of national research and development programs, and build science and technology information system for effective diffusion of knowledge among science and technology policy-makers and related entities both in public and private sectors in order to foster economic development. “Science and Technology which focus on infrastructure, telecommunication, and capability expansion become important resources for Cambodian people in improving to become a developed country,” He mentioned.

He stressed that Cambodia’s National Science and Technology Master Plan 2014-2020 is an important compass which is a strategy to show planning priorities of the project which will be completed in the next step. “This master plan will become a key to develop the country’s economy,” H.E. Chhay Than said.

H.E. Chang Ho-Jin said that the Cambodian economy is growing very fast, as close partner and close friend to Cambodia, Korea is trying to take part in helping todevelop Cambodia. Since 2003, Korea’s grant aid to Cambodia annually about US$ 2.3 million and increased sharply to US$ 15 million while the volume of concessional loans amounted to US$ 289 million.

Korea increased bilateral cooperation to be better and better.” The ambassador highlighted brief measures to ensure project work effectively such as (1) project for the establishment of national science and technology master plan is effective on developing infrastructure for national research and development as well as other government research projects; (2) this project will focus on developing human resources for research and development and expand infrastructure and communication system to strengthen science and technology capacity and (3) it is a nice opportunity for Korea to share developmental experience and knowledge in terms of research and development on science and technology ( S and T).

Within three years from 2011 to 2013, the project was planned to (1) establish National S&T Master plan that focuses on the research and development in three core industries such as Agriculture, Industry Infrastructure, and Information and Communication Technology sectors; (2) dispatch Korean Experts to Cambodia for the establishment of the Master Plan; (3) provide equipment related to S&T system and ICT infrastructure; and (4) invite related Cambodian government officials to joint training in Korea. This project is a crucial factor to allow Cambodia to acquire technology and knowledge related to national science and technology, and it is a meaningful opportunity for Korea to share its previous experience and knowledge on national science and technology, while fostering strongpartnerships and cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Since 1991, the total volume of KOICA’s grant aid to Cambodia has been scaling up to US$ 68 million, covering a wide range of areas such as infrastructure, agriculture & rural development, health, education sectors as well as cross-cutting sectors such as environment, democracy, civil society, gender, public administration, etc., including “good governance” which is the core value of the Rectangular Strategy. (SEAW)  BY SOK LAK