Sweden shows willingness to cooperate with the government

Johannes Oljelund and Aun Porn Moniroth. AKP

A Swedish diplomat over the weekend announced that his government is willing and prepared to extend Swedish International Cooperation for Cambodia until 2022, should the Cambodian government accept.

Johannes Oljelund, director-general for International Development Cooperation with the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, made the statement during a two-day visit with various ministers, including Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth on Friday.

Last year, Sweden’s embassy in Phnom Penh said the country was reviewing its engagement with Cambodia after the CNRP was dissolved.

Mr Oljelund said over the weekend that although Swedish International Cooperation for Cambodia will be completed this year, it could be continued over the next five years.

“We are at the phase where we are looking at our development policy and how will we continue after the current participation period this year and how we can continue deep engagement with Cambodia,” he said in a video clip posted on the Swedish embassy website. “There are reasons to be worried about the political development – and it’s something that we have to consider carefully. At the same time, we want to continue our strong engagement with Cambodia.”

Mr Oljelund held separate meetings with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Interior Ministry, Economy and Finance Ministry and Youth, Sport and Education Ministry over the weekend.

Several issues were brought up during the meetings, such as the upcoming national election, the question of openness and transparency, the status of the government’s decentralisation reforms, public finance reforms, the role of civil society and media, and education reforms.

“The government of Sweden has actively contributed to Cambodia’s economic and social developments by focusing on essential reforms that the government of Cambodia is undertaking, such as public financial management and democratic developments at the sub-national level,” Economy and Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth said.

Mr Porn Moniroth said that the government has made public services more accessible to citizens by enhancing accountability and public service provisions to Cambodian citizens.

San Chey, executive director of the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability, said that extending Swedish-Cambodian cooperation would be a good indication that Sweden, a large donor country, has not abandoned Cambodia, especially during a time when government reforms are needed.

“The government should listen to all donor countries’ concerns for the sake of further long-term cooperation,” he said.

Sweden, which has given Cambodia an estimated $20 million per year in aid in the past six years, ranked third among individual EU member states in Cambodia’s database of donors in 2016, after France and Germany.

Khmer Times
Mom Sophon