Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
From Swedish news: (Google Translate)
https://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/sveri ... demokrati/
Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia. The Cambodian government's interest in developing the country in a democratic direction is too small for aid to work, says Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Eriksson.
The decision to phase out aid to Cambodia is made at Thursday's government meeting.
- Sweden has been patient. But it is difficult to work broadly with aid in a country where interest is so weak for democracy and human rights, says Deputy Minister Peter Eriksson.
Sweden, through Sida, has given Cambodia SEK 200 million in aid per year. The aim has been to strengthen democracy in the country, improve opportunities for poor people to benefit from economic growth and improved environment.
But it is difficult to reach in a country where democratic development and the legal community are developing in the wrong direction, believes Peter Eriksson.
- There have been problems in Cambodia for a long time. It is one of the countries in the world where development has been most negative. Independent press has been discontinued, 32 radio channels have been shut down and leading opposition politicians stopped, he says.
In the future, Sweden will instead work for human rights and democracy in Cambodia through what is called the regional strategy for Asia.
- Through it, there are opportunities to support people at local level in civil society who work for human rights.
Cambodia is a country that has developed in an increasingly authoritarian direction in recent years, notes several non-profit organizations. When local elections were held in 2017, the main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, was dissolved, accused of preparing a coup against the government. The result is that all 125 seats in Parliament went to Prime Minister HE's party, the Cambodian People's party, when general elections were held the following year.
Human Rights Watch notes in its annual report on the country that the number of political prisoners in Cambodia has increased and that opposition politicians are either detained or are fleeing the country to avoid prison.
In addition, the trend towards reduced democracy has been accelerated even more during the corona crisis when the government introduced a new exception law that limits, among other things, freedom of expression. By pointing to that law, the regime has taken care to imprison critics.
"The Cambodian government shows no tendency to want to reverse the development and the space for trusting cooperation with the Cambodian state is now considered to be very limited," the government notes in its supporting documents.
In recent years, China has plowed down large sums in Cambodia. China is the largest foreign investor in Cambodia and has also lent large sums to projects under the new Silk Road, China's huge infrastructure investment that will link roads and sea connections in much of the world. Cooperation with China makes it difficult for democratic development in Cambodia, says Peter Eriksson.
- The regime in Cambodia has chosen to go the same route as China. People are increasingly leaning towards China and developing into a more authoritarian state. When the ambitions to go in a democratic direction are so low, it becomes difficult to cooperate.
https://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/sveri ... demokrati/
Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia. The Cambodian government's interest in developing the country in a democratic direction is too small for aid to work, says Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Eriksson.
The decision to phase out aid to Cambodia is made at Thursday's government meeting.
- Sweden has been patient. But it is difficult to work broadly with aid in a country where interest is so weak for democracy and human rights, says Deputy Minister Peter Eriksson.
Sweden, through Sida, has given Cambodia SEK 200 million in aid per year. The aim has been to strengthen democracy in the country, improve opportunities for poor people to benefit from economic growth and improved environment.
But it is difficult to reach in a country where democratic development and the legal community are developing in the wrong direction, believes Peter Eriksson.
- There have been problems in Cambodia for a long time. It is one of the countries in the world where development has been most negative. Independent press has been discontinued, 32 radio channels have been shut down and leading opposition politicians stopped, he says.
In the future, Sweden will instead work for human rights and democracy in Cambodia through what is called the regional strategy for Asia.
- Through it, there are opportunities to support people at local level in civil society who work for human rights.
Cambodia is a country that has developed in an increasingly authoritarian direction in recent years, notes several non-profit organizations. When local elections were held in 2017, the main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, was dissolved, accused of preparing a coup against the government. The result is that all 125 seats in Parliament went to Prime Minister HE's party, the Cambodian People's party, when general elections were held the following year.
Human Rights Watch notes in its annual report on the country that the number of political prisoners in Cambodia has increased and that opposition politicians are either detained or are fleeing the country to avoid prison.
In addition, the trend towards reduced democracy has been accelerated even more during the corona crisis when the government introduced a new exception law that limits, among other things, freedom of expression. By pointing to that law, the regime has taken care to imprison critics.
"The Cambodian government shows no tendency to want to reverse the development and the space for trusting cooperation with the Cambodian state is now considered to be very limited," the government notes in its supporting documents.
In recent years, China has plowed down large sums in Cambodia. China is the largest foreign investor in Cambodia and has also lent large sums to projects under the new Silk Road, China's huge infrastructure investment that will link roads and sea connections in much of the world. Cooperation with China makes it difficult for democratic development in Cambodia, says Peter Eriksson.
- The regime in Cambodia has chosen to go the same route as China. People are increasingly leaning towards China and developing into a more authoritarian state. When the ambitions to go in a democratic direction are so low, it becomes difficult to cooperate.
Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
Sweden was really successful in supporting the General Department of Taxation of Cambodia though.
Don't forget the water buffalo
- Duncan
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Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
Is that a positive or a negative ?
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
Good for Sweden. $20million dollars removed from the government and given directly to the people who will pressure for change. More importantly they have called them out - you are little China, there is no democracy and everybody knows it.
I wonder who will follow suit?
I wonder who will follow suit?
- Robins
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Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
"- Sweden has been patient. But it is difficult to work broadly with aid in a country where interest is so weak for democracy and human rights, says Deputy Minister Peter Eriksson."
It's a weird irony that while that statement has some truth to it, I still feel freer from government interference in my life in Cambodia or Thailand than I would anywhere in Sweeden or the EU.
It's a weird irony that while that statement has some truth to it, I still feel freer from government interference in my life in Cambodia or Thailand than I would anywhere in Sweeden or the EU.
Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
I share your sentiment, but it's ultimately an illusion. If you cross the wrong people in Thailand or Cambodia, the fact that there's no rule of law could come to bite you big times. That's something to keep in mind, although it hasn't happened to me in my 15+ years in Thailand.
Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
Hopefully, everyone.
Cambodia's geopolitical ideology seems to be to hoard with one hand and beg with the other.
This tired old facade of Cambodia perpetually being on its collective knees needs to crumble.
Western states, ngo's and donors need to be educated on the current state of play here.
Cambodia needs to put on its big boy pants and start taking care of its own in a bigger way.
I'd love to see the collective looks on the upper echelon's faces if this came to pass.
There's an obscene amount of wealth in this country, in certain large circles.
Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
Here's a question. How do people feel Cambodia compares to Vietnam in terms of democracy, freedom of the media and so on? Presumably Sweden supports the FTA agreement just ratified between the EU and Vietnam, so they they are saying the one-party system is better?
- Bitte_Kein_Lexus
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Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
Please... Have you ever dealt with bureaucracy here? Living day to day as a foreigner here can appear superficially easy (because it is), but don't mistake the ease of driving without a helmet for political freedom. Try going to Thailand and saying anything bad about the king...Robins wrote:"- Sweden has been patient. But it is difficult to work broadly with aid in a country where interest is so weak for democracy and human rights, says Deputy Minister Peter Eriksson."
It's a weird irony that while that statement has some truth to it, I still feel freer from government interference in my life in Cambodia or Thailand than I would anywhere in Sweeden or the EU.
This. When the police chief and others in government can buy Cypriot citizenship and senior civil servants have private golf courses and Patek Phillips, then I'm sure they can afford to help bankroll their own country with a few tax dollars from Rolls Royce crew. Good for Sweden, I'm so tired of seeing western taxpayers' money getting wasted on places like Cambodia. They're so clueless to the easy workarounds and how they get played for fools year after year. I can't wait for EBA to be cut off already. Only good can come of aid being cut to Cambodia, they'll mature as a nation.Brody wrote:Hopefully, everyone.
Cambodia's geopolitical ideology seems to be to hoard with one hand and beg with the other.
This tired old facade of Cambodia perpetually being on its collective knees needs to crumble.
Western states, ngo's and donors need to be educated on the current state of play here.
Cambodia needs to put on its big boy pants and start taking care of its own in a bigger way.
I'd love to see the collective looks on the upper echelon's faces if this came to pass.
There's an obscene amount of wealth in this country, in certain large circles.
Ex Bitteeinbit/LexusSchmexus
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Re: Sweden withdraws bilateral assistance to Cambodia
A FTA is different from EBA. Vietnam has a decent industrial base and Cambodia can undoubtedly negotiate their own deal with the EU (like every other country did when the EU was created). They're transgressing the clearly laid out prerequisites of EBA despite numerous attempts at realigning the local government. It's as simple as that. So they'll hopefully lose the special status.Bluenose wrote:Here's a question. How do people feel Cambodia compares to Vietnam in terms of democracy, freedom of the media and so on? Presumably Sweden supports the FTA agreement just ratified between the EU and Vietnam, so they they are saying the one-party system is better?
Sweden and others have dumped huge sums of money here over the decades with the (foolish) expectation that they'd see western style democracy emerge. I feel like their focus on SR was doomed to failure. Either way, SIDA doesn't give any development cooperation or humanitarian assistance money to Vietnam as far as I know (though they probably do through the EU). They do/did for Cambodia.
I think part of my being annoyed by it all +ve Vietnam, which I admittedly have little knowledge of) is that one can spend several weeks in either Hanoi or HCM and only see average cars/bikes, whereas here I'll see a "very expensive" vehicle at least 2-3 times per week (and not the same one). The amount of wealth being stacked here (as shown with Neth Savoeun/El Guapo's niece and other family members property abroad, Patek Ph and all that) is truly astonishing and "in your face". They like to show off, so it's obvious they can fend for themselves without the need for outside aid to pay for drainage, roads and so on. Just pay/levy taxes from these people and they'll have a skytrain within two years, no need for the average Western Joe's tax dollars coming here.
Ex Bitteeinbit/LexusSchmexus
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