Khmer Times, 3 September 2018 Speculations on the members of the new cabinet aside, the main task of the new Cambodian government is to deliver what it has promised, especially in terms of raising the living standard of its citizens, delivering better public services, and improving good governance. A new Rectangular Strategy Phase IV will … Continue reading Cambodia needs to invest in public sector innovation

Khmer Times, 6 September 2018 The World Economic Forum on Asean is going to take place in Hanoi on 11-13 September, with the participation of, if nothing changes, seven state leaders from Asean member states, namely State Counsellor of Myanmar Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Laos … Continue reading WEF on Asean: Key Agenda

Khmer Times, 5 October 2018 The foreign policy of small states is constrained by the size and location of the country and its natural resources and population. Small states are more vulnerable to external changes and shocks, the level of dependency on external sources for security and development, and the perception of their national roles. … Continue reading Small States Must Play Smart

Khmer Times, 16 October 2018 The Mekong region is emerging to be a new growth center as well as a strategic frontier for Asia due to its relatively high economic performance, deepening regional integration, and complex interdependence within the region. With the intertwining of economic dynamism and geopolitical competition, Mekong countries have been largely practicing … Continue reading Mekong-Japan cooperation enters a new dimension

Khmer Times, 26 October 2018 Chulalongkorn University was chosen as the venue for the recent Bangkok Forum 2018 to position Thailand, the next Asean chair, as a knowledge hub in Asia that contributes to the production of holistic knowledge on sustainable development. Chheang Vannarith writes this is urgently needed to transform the region’s seemingly non-people … Continue reading In pursuit of paradigm shift in development

The Khmer Times, 14 August 2018 Water resource security – which involves the sustainable use and protection of water systems, the mitigation against floods and droughts, and the sustainable development of water resources – is one of the emerging key regional issues in Southeast Asia. The Mekong River, running across six countries, provides critical resources … Continue reading Mekong water security sets off alarm bells

The Khmer Times, 8 August 2018 One of the most interesting issues at the 51st Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings in Singapore from July 30 to August 4 was the perception of Asean member states on the evolving concept of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), collectively initiated by Japan, the United States, … Continue reading Cambodia’s Take on FOIP

The Khmer Times, July 13, 2018 Complex domestic politics and geopolitics aside, Cambodia’s economic outlook remains robust and vibrant. Over the past two decades, Cambodia’s growth rate has been slightly over 7 per cent. Remarkably, in 2016, Cambodia graduated from its status as a least developed country and became a lower-middle-income country. The trend continues … Continue reading Cambodia’s economic outlook

The Khmer Times, July 16, 2018 Cambodia’s foreign policy strategy has been chiefly shaped and driven by “economic pragmatism,” meaning the alignment of foreign policy with economic development interests, in which there are two main approaches: transforming the international environment into a source of national development and diversifying strategic partnerships based on the calculation of … Continue reading Economic Pragmatism in Cambodia’s Foreign Policy

The Khmer Times, 23 July 2018 Cambodia’s upcoming general election on July 29 looks set to be its most controversial since its first national election in 1993. In late 2017, the main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved and 118 of its senior members were banned from politics based on what … Continue reading Cambodia after 29 July General Election