1. Grant Aid for the Economic and Social Development Programme

The Grant Aid for the “Economic and Social Development Programme” provides 300 million yen (equivalent to approximately USD2.7 million) to the National Police and the General Department of Immigration at the Ministry of Interior for the procurement of equipment. This cooperation aims to strengthen the capacity of those institutions by providing equipment. The equipment will include vehicles for security use, such as the guarding of very important persons, and X-ray inspection machines for use at land borders. It is expected that this equipment will help ensure that large-scale events, such as upcoming international conferences, will be held safely and run smoothly.

2. Yen Loan for COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support

The “COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan” provides financial support of 25 billion yen (equivalent to approximately USD227 million) to Cambodia, which is being affected by the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus. Co-financed with Asia Development Bank, the loan is intended to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, maintain and activate economic and social activities that will help to protect the economy, and preserve social protection. This highly concessional loan is in addition to the grant of more than 5 billion yen (equivalent to USD45 million) in response to COVID-19, which provides the rehabilitation of Siem Reap Refferal Hospitals, medical equipment across the country, and technical assistance. Through the effective utilisation of this yen loan, it is expected that Cambodia’s economy and society will recover quickly due to the strengthening of the medical system and social support for the poor and vulnerable, and the provision of financial support to entrepreneurs, including small and medium-sized enterprises.

As Cambodia continues to develop its economy it is important that the quality of life of each and every citizen of the country improves alongside national economic development. Japan would like to continue to support the Royal Government’s efforts by utilising a variety of economic and social development schemes.

Notes to this effect were exchanged between H.E. Mr. PRAK Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and H.E. Mr. MIKAMI Masahiro, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia, on 6 November 2020.

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Tanabata is a Japanese traditional festival, celebrated every year on 7 July in Japan to recall a story of a couple of lovers ―Weaver princess and Herdsman― in the sky. Based on the Tanabata story, the two lovers are separated by the Amanogawa River and allowed to meet once a year on 7th July. On the day, Japanese people write their wishes on colorful strips of paper and hang them on bamboo trees to make their wishes come true.

During “Online Tanabata 2020” in Cambodia, we will put big branches of bamboo with colorful decorations at the Embassy of Japan. We would like to invite people to join “Online Tanabata 2020” by sending their wishes from June 23-July 5, 2020. All the wishes will be hanged on bamboo stalks in the Embassy of Japan with other decorated ornaments and will be shown in the opening video of “Online Tanabata 2020” Some of them will be selected to be posted on Online Tanabata 2020’s Event Page. You can send your wish in Khmer, Japanese, or English with your name or nickname. Your wishes and given information might be shown to the public. Please join us to celebrate “Online Tanabata 2020”, by sending your wishes through the google link: https://forms.gle/uf3xcWmf38guExu47

For media inquiries, please contact Culture and Information Section at 023 217 161 (Ext: 1121) or email: info.jpn@pp.mofa.go.jp. For more information about the festival, please visit Facebook Event Page of Online Tanabata 2020 at https://www.facebook.com/events/2018916258233236/

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MEXT Scholarship is the most prestigious scholarship for studying in Japan provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (MEXT). MEXT currently offers 4 types of scholarship for Research Students, Undergraduate Students, College of Technology Students, and Specialized Training College Students.

Since 1992, more than 600 Cambodian students have received the scholarship and studied in Japan. They successfully completed their study in Japan and are currently contributing to Cambodian society as leading personalities in various areas.

The selection this year will be made by the document screening, written examination and interview at the Embassy of Japan, and the final decision will be made by the document screening by the MEXT.

The Embassy sincerely hopes that many students will apply for the scholarship and more students pass the selection by the MEXT.

For further information, please refer to this link (https://www.kh.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_00152.html) or contact the Scholarship Adviser, Culture and Information Section of the Embassy of Japan in Cambodia at 023 217 161 (#1123) or email: scholarship.jpn@pp.mofa.go.jp.

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អាហារូបករណ៍រដ្ឋាភិបាលជប៉ុន គឺជាអាហារូបករណ៍ធំជាងគេសម្រាប់សិស្សនិស្សិត ទៅសិក្សានៅប្រទេសជប៉ុន ដែលផ្តល់ដោយក្រសួងអប់រំជប៉ុន MEXT។ បច្ចុប្បន្ន ក្រសួងអប់រំជប៉ុនផ្តល់អាហារូបករណ៍ដល់សិស្សនិស្សិតកម្ពុជាចំនួន៤ប្រភេទ ដែលមានដូចជា ថ្នាក់ក្រោយឧត្តមសិក្សា ថ្នាក់ឧត្តមសិក្សា ថ្នាក់មធ្យមសិក្សាបច្ចេកទេស និងថ្នាក់បណ្តុះបណ្តាលវិជ្ជាជីវៈ។

ចាប់តាំងពីឆ្នាំ១៩៩២ សិស្សនិសិ្សតកម្ពុជាជាង៦០០នាក់ បានទទួលអាហារូបករណ៍ MEXT ទៅសិក្សានប្រទេសជប៉ុន។សិស្សនិសិ្សតទាំងនោះបានបញ្ចប់ការសិក្សារបស់ពួកគេនៅប្រទេសជប៉ុនដោយជោគជ័យ ហើយបច្ចុប្បន្នកំពុងចូលរួមចំណែកដល់សង្គមកម្ពុជា ក្នុងនាមជាអ្នកដឹកនាំនៅក្នុងវិស័យផ្សេងៗ។

ការជ្រើសរើសនៅឆ្នាំនេះ នឹងត្រូវធ្វើឡើងដោយការត្រួតពិនិត្យឯកសារ ប្រឡងវិញ្ញាសាសរសេរ និងសម្ភាសន៍ នៅស្ថានទូតជប៉ុន ហើយការសម្រេចចុងក្រោយនឹងត្រូវធ្វើឡើងដោយការត្រួតពិនិត្យឯកសារដោយក្រសួងអប់រំជប៉ុន។

ស្ថានទូតយើងខ្ញុំសង្ឃឹមយ៉ាងមុតមាំថា សិស្សនិស្សិតជាច្រើន នឹងដាក់ពាក្យសុំអាហារូបករណ៍MEXT ហើយពួកគាត់ជាច្រើន នឹងត្រូវបានជ្រើសរើសដោយក្រសួងអប់រំជប៉ុន។

សម្រាប់ព័ត៌មានបន្ថែមសូមអានគោលការណ៍ណែនាំ៖ https://www.kh.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_00152.html ឬសូមទាក់ទងមកកាន់ជំនួយការផ្តល់ប្រឹក្សាអាហារូបករណ៍ ផ្នែកវប្បធម៌ និងព័ត៌មាន នៃស្ថានទូតជប៉ុន តាមរយៈទូរស័ព្ទលេខ ០២៣ ២១៧ ១៦១ (១១២៣) ឬ scholarship.jpn@pp.mofa.go.jp​​៕

These projects were exchanged between H.E. Mr. PRAK Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and H.E. Mr. MIKAMI Masahiro, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia on 5 June 2020 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Siem Reap Provincial Hospital is a main hospital in northern Cambodia which receives patients, particularly the patients of traffic accidents, from Siem Reap and surrounding provinces. In addition, the lack of equipment and human resources in local health centers in Siem Reap Province cause the patients who should be treated in health centers to seek treatment in the provincial hospital, which results in an overwhelming number of patients. However, due to the deterioration of the facilities constructed in the 1970s and the lack of equipment, it has not been able to provide adequate medical services.

This project aims to improve the facilities and equipment of Siem Reap Provincial Hospital and 4 district referral hospitals in the province, which will result in increasing the annual number of operations at Siem Reap Provincial Hospital from 3,306 in 2018 to 4,732 by 2026 upon completion of the 3-year project. It is expected to strengthen the health system and improve access to basic health and medical services in Siem Reap.

In Cambodia, many talented human resources had been lost due to the civil war that continued for about 20 years since the 1970s, and because of the insufficiency of higher education institutions, the development of high-quality human resources is an urgent issue. Therefore, Japan is supporting Cambodia in further strengthening its economic and social infrastructure, and as part of this cooperation, we help Cambodia’s young government officials to receive degrees (master’s/doctor’s degree) from graduate schools in Japan.

Through this cooperation, a maximum of 26 Cambodian young government officials will be able to study at universities in Japan. It is expected that the human resources under this cooperation will contribute to the future development of Cambodia in each field, and also to the mutual understanding and the building of friendly relations between Japan and Cambodia.

In today’s globalized world, the spread of COVID-19 is a major threat to the economy and society of all countries including Japan. The entire international community must work together against COVID-19.

While the Royal Government of Cambodia is managing the difficult situation in Cambodia, there is a possibility that COVID-19 will start to spread again domestically and regionally due to the vulnerable health system in the country. In order to respond to this crisis, it is important to strengthen the health system to cope with infectious diseases.

In this project, medical equipment such as ambulances, ICU beds etc. will be provided to Cambodia and it is expected to contribute to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 by strengthening the health systems in the country. Japan will continue to support the countries with vulnerable health systems in collaboration with the international community in order to contain COVID-19 as early as possible.

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The project for Constructing a Water Supply System in Raing Khvav Village, Pursat Province (US$103,885) and the recipient is Life With Dignity.  In this project, the water supply system will be constructed and approximately 17km water distribution networks including seven water distribution points will be installed at Raing Khvav village. Through this project, more than 880 people will have access to clean water and it will contribute to improve their living standard.

The project for Constructing a School Building at Kroch Primary School in Ou Chum District, Ratanakiri Province (US$90,128) and the recipient: Ratanakiri Provincial Department of Education, Youth and Sport. In this project, a five-room school building equipped with school furniture and a four-room toilet will be built at Kroch Primary School in Ratanakiri Province. It is expected to benefit over 320 of both students and teachers through the improvement of the learning environment.

The project for Constructing a School Building at Bok Teuk Primary School in Preak Prasap District, Kratie Province (US$98,100) and the recipient: Kratie Provincial Department of Education, Youth and Sport. In this project, a five-room school building equipped with school furniture and a four-room toilet will be built at Bok Teuk Primary School in Kratie Province. It is expected to benefit over 320 of both students and teachers through the improvement of the learning environment.

The project for Constructing a School Building at May Mong Lower Secondary School in Kaev Seima District, Mondulkiri Province (US$106,000) and the recipient: Mondulkiri Provincial Department of Education, Youth and Sport. In this project, a five-room school building equipped with school furniture and a two-room toilet will be built at May Mong Lower Secondary School in Mondulkiri Province. It is expected to benefit over 200 of both students and teachers through the improvement of the learning environment.

Japan’s “KUSANONE” Projects started in Cambodia in 1991 in order to support Cambodia’s reconstruction and development at the grassroots level. The assistance aims to protect those who are vulnerable due to various factors such as poverty and/or misfortunes that directly threaten their lives, livelihood, and dignity, as well as to promote self-reliance of local communities. Since 1991, the Government of Japan has provided over US$60 million for mainly local authorities and non-governmental organizations to implement 624 KUSANONE projects throughout Cambodia. This project will ensure the safer and more comfortable learning environment.

Photo by: K-photography

With this 4th program, following the previous 3 programs done after the General Election in 2018, the number of the young Cambodians participants will reach 40.

Through the program, it is expected that the participants, who will lead the future of Cambodia, will enrich their views on Japanese multiparty democracy as a reference for the democratic development of their country.

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The competition was organized by the Embassy of Japan in Cambodia in cooperation with Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and CJCC to select the participants of JENESYS 2019 program.

During the competition, 48 university students of 12 groups made their presentation under the theme of “My Province, My Hometown” and competed in terms of uniqueness, attractiveness and teamwork.

The JENESYS is a youth exchange program organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan to promote mutual trust and understanding among the people of Japan and participating countries and to build a basis for future friendship and cooperation.

It is expected that the participants will deepen their understanding of Japan and after coming back, share their experience widely with the people in Cambodia.

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Cambodia’s economy has grown significantly over the past years and the poverty rate has decreased dramatically. However, especially in the rural areas, a significant portion of the population still suffer from undernutrition because they lack access to sufficient and various food.

H.E. MIKAMI Masahiro said, “Under such circumstances, by providing canned fish for the WFP’s School Feeding Programme, Japan’s assistance will be contributing to improving not only children’s health but also their access to school education. I sincerely hope that our assistance will be effectively used to secure a better future for children”. He adds, “I would like to take this opportunity to commend the work of WFP Cambodia, which has been making great efforts to improve the situation for over 20 years. I thank the WFP and I hope that this project will further strengthen the friendly relations existing between the Japanese and Cambodian peoples”

The purpose of the Programme to contributing to the implementation of the WFP’s School Feeding Programme in the presence of H. E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and contribute to improving not only children’s health but also their access to school education, and further strengthening the cordial and cooperative relations between the two countries.

 Photo by: Supplied