Four ministers to research decentralisation in Germany

FOUR ministers are scheduled to v isit Germany between September 24 and 30 on a study tour of its decentra lisation programme.

Ministr y of Education, Youth and Sport spokesman Ros Soveacha said t he v isit would improve t he Kingdom’s ongoing decentra lisation and deconcentration reforms.

“The trip will prov ide Cambodia and Germany with the opportunit y to strengthen bilatera l cooperation and learn about decentra lisation in Germany across relevant sectors,” said Soveacha.

Benjamin Knoedler, the spokesman for the German Embassy in Phnom Penh, said Germany has supported the Cambodian government in its decentra lised ser v ice deliver y framework for more than a decade.

Therefore, he said, t he German Federa l Ministr y for Economic Cooperation and Development inv ited t he delegation to a study tour on decentra lisation i n the second half of September.

“Upon the request of the Royal Government [of Cambodia], t he study tour will address loca l ser v ice deliver y in public healt h, education, solid waste management and forestr y. All t hese policy areas are highly relevant in the context of Cambodia,” said Knoedler.

He said Germany was k nown for its decentra lised governance. While the Cambodian and German context was dif ferent, t he study tour aims to encourage the ongoing decentra lisation i n t he Kingdom.

Knoedler said the delegation would meet with loca l government of ficia ls and of ficia ls of the Foreign Office, t he federa l ministries of t he Interior, Building and Community, and Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as members of parliament.

“The delegation will be led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sar Kheng,” he said, adding that the detailed programme of the study tour was currently under development.

“This v isit to t he most influentia l countr y in the EU could help bring about a compromise between t he EU and Cambodia over Ever y t hing But Arms,” said politica l analyst Lao Mong Hay.