Phnom Penh, Thursday, 25 June 2020, the Royal Government of Cambodia, through the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), and the U.S. Government, through the juii $38 million for health and education programs and approximately $18 million for agriculture and environment programs through implementing organizations in the Kingdom of Cambodia, for a total of over $56 million in assistance in 2020.
“This continued bilateral development cooperation is an important pillar in promoting and strengthening the cooperation and partnership between the two countries,” noted His Excellency Chin Bun Sean, Senior Minister in Charge of Special Missions and Vice-Chairman of the Council for Development of Cambodia.
“The U.S. Government is committed to continuing its support to the Cambodian people towards sustainable, inclusive, and equitable socio-economic development,” added His Excellency W. Patrick Murphy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Through collaboration with the Ministry of Health, programs will aim to decrease maternal, infant, and mortality rates in children aged under five years. The funds will also support programs to decrease stunting and anemia in children and women and reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in Cambodia. In the education sector, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and USAID programs will support efforts to improve reading comprehension among children, lower school dropout rates, and equip Cambodians to enter the workforce. In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, USAID will fund programs that reduce the number of people living in poverty, increase the production of important crops, and improve nutrition among rural communities. The funds will also support environmental programs that reduce the vulnerability of people and landscapes to the effects of a changing climate and help Cambodia meet its international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially from deforestation and forest degradation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment.
The signed amendment to the agreement brings the total obligation of U.S. development assistance in these sectors to over $253 million since March 2016. The support aligns with Cambodia's national priorities.
In addition, the U.S. Government has supported civil society organizations working in Cambodia on critical issues related to human rights, counter trafficking-in-persons, and accountability and transparency. All of these efforts complement the work with the government to support inclusive and sustainable development in Cambodia.
In response to the global pandemic, the U.S. Government has provided $11 million to support Cambodia’s COVID-19 response since March 2020. These funds will be used to help mitigate both the immediate medical response to COVID-19 within the Cambodian health system and the second-order impacts resulting from the pandemic, with a particular focus on ensuring inclusive and equitable economic recovery.
Since 1994, the U.S. Government has provided over $1 billion in support of the Cambodian people.
