Urban Poor in Phnom Penh Lack Titles, Doubling Rice Exports to China

Newspaper cuttings from The Phnom Penh Post and The Cambodia Daily cover issues of poverty and development between April 6 and 12.

Japan spans the Mekong River in Cambodia

The 2.2-km Tsubasa Bridge—built with $127 million in Japanese grants—was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Hun Sen here Monday morning. Spanning the Mekong River, it will connect Phnom Penh by road to the provinces of Svay Rieng and Prey Veng, and to neighboring Vietnam. (ADB’s efforts to make good off to shaky start, audit finds)

An ADB’s railway project fails to provide compensation and resettlement

A review of the Asian Development Bank’s actions to remedy “major” failings in its provision of compensation and resettlement to thousands of families affected by a $143 million railway project it funded has found the bank failed to meet a number of its commitments. (ADB’s efforts to make good off to shaky start, audit finds)

Urban poor in Phnom Penh lack titles

Cambodia’s land-titling review process lacks transparency and clarity and is in danger of leaving behind Phnom Penh’s urban poor, according to a new report. (Urban poor more likely to lack titles: report)

Request to double rice exports to China

The Ministry of Commerce is working with its Chinese counterparts to renew a rice trade agreement, which will likely expire this month, and has requested to double the existing 100,000-tonne quota of rice Cambodia is currently able to export to China, a ministry spokesman said yesterday. (Gov’t requests to double rice exports to China)

Farmers will have better access to information and technologies

The policy will be implemented using a five-pronged approach: strengthening the regulatory framework on agricultural extension; increasing the capacity of officers and agents; incorporating affordable and practical farming techniques; improved information and messaging; and better delivery systems for this information. (Farmers to reap info flow: gov’t)

Remembering April 12 in 1975

For those living in Phnom Penh on April 12, 1975, the U.S. Embassy helicopters that took off on a one-way journey that day, carrying a few hundred foreigners and Cambodians to safety, signaled the end of civil war and the victory of the Khmer Rouge. (Remembering ‘Operation Eagle Pull’ 40 Years On)

Author: Ippei Tsuruga Ippei Tsuruga is the Editor-in-Chief and the founder of The Povertist. He has extensive experience and knowledge in poverty and social protection in Asia and Africa.