Speech at the Inauguration Ceremony on Information Administration System of the Council of Ministers

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Today, I have a great pleasure to join you all in this ceremony to inaugurate the Information Administration System at the Council of Ministers. The establishment of the Information Administration System represents another pride adding to many other achievements that we all together have attained so far. This bold achievement substantially contributes and responses to the Cambodia’s needs for strengthening information technology, in an appropriate and timely manner, in order to bring down digital gap between Cambodia and other countries in the region.

Taking this opportunity, on behalf of Royal Government and People of Cambodia and my own self may I convey our welcome and gratitude, through H.E. Ambassador and the Delegation of Korea present here, to the Korean Government and Korean people for the good cooperation provided in the field of information technology, especially for providing this loan to establish the Information Administration System in Cambodia. Moreover, I highly appreciate the efforts of national authorities in charge of technological development, telecommunication and IT who have worked their best to implement the project successfully and for the good arrangement of this ceremony.

As I have frequently highlighted, projects related to technological development, telecommunication and IT are very crucial to accelerate economic growth, thus, helping alleviate poverty in Cambodia as stated in the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals and ensuring equity and sustainable development.

In this context, the Royal government of Cambodia continues to pay attention on strengthening cooperation between government and civil society within the context of “rules of law” promoting democracy, freedom, social order and law compliance. Civil society has become the government’s effective partner in building the nation. The Royal government of Cambodia has encouraged the NGOs and other formal associations, who are currently serving the interest of our people across the country, to take advantage of information system for their work. Thus, the Royal Government welcomes the participation of national and international nongovernmental organizations in socio-economic development process, supporting democracy and human rights that are the catalysts for practicing and strengthening information technology in Cambodia.

Particularly, this Information Administration System project that we inaugurate today is of great importance in enhancing the effectiveness of management in term of reducing time and associated costs in general. Similarly, the Information Administration System is an effective support for a successful implementation of the Government’s Rectangular Strategy for Growth, Employment, Equity and Efficiency in Cambodia. In this sense, the Agreement of ASEAN nations to establish e-ASEAN was signed by the Leaders of State/Government of ten countries during the Sixth Informal Summit on 24-25 November 2000 in Singapore. The agreement commits to developing ASEAN information technology infrastructure to promote e-business, liberalization of goods and services, investment in information technology, and human resources development for e-government.

At the same time, the Royal Government will continue promoting regional and global integration into the region and the world, by giving special priorities to reducing development gap within ASEAN through mobilization of ASEAN nations and partner countries to implement projects, which have been identified under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration adopted in the ASEAN summits especially those adopted during the Eighth ASEAN Summit in November 2002, in Phnom Penh. The Royal Government of Cambodia continues implementing the Great Mekong Sub-Region Program, in particular the priority projects adopted during the First Great Mekong Sub-Region Summit in November 2002 in Phnom Penh; the initiatives of “Development Triangles“, one between Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos PDR, and another between Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand; and “Strategic Economic Cooperation” between Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Thailand. Those projects are closely linked to and need for Information Administration System to be realized.

The Royal Government continues implementing its obligations under the WTO membership that requires working hard in adopting and enforcing the laws and norms, legal procedures, trade-valuation methodologies and reporting on trade and estimated impacts as well as conducting market studies on rice, other agricultural products, agronomy, handicraft, clean water, fisheries, factories, tourism and labor services, in order to take full advantages from this trade organization. The government commits to grab the opportunities to widely develop information technology for socio-economic development by ensuring growth, employment, equity and efficiency in Cambodia.

The Royal Government’s strategy for technology, telecommunication and IT, represents the 4^th Side of the 2^nd Rectangle of the Rectangular Strategy. This is to further develop post and telecommunication system as well as to promote development of information technology to have high quality system comparable to international standards, with appropriate costs and service coverage across the country.

Indeed, this could be achieved through the implementation of the following measures:

1. Promote investment on ICT infrastructure, especially installing optical cables which are highly effective and can greatly contribute to communication service in rural areas.
2. Adopt national standards for construction projects as well as for ICT operations, which include standardized system and standards and rules for using computers and internet.
3. Expand coverage of radio and television broadcasts aiming at effectiveness and facilitation of information and communication services.
4. Royal Government will promote policy aiming at openness in information and communication technology to involve private sector participation basing on commitment and responsibility of Cambodia within the WTO framework.
5. Mobilize information resources, such as physical infrastructure, enhanced human resource and capacity, financial resources and contents of information reflecting people’s need and interest.  At the same time, I would like to emphasize that we are now implementing the e-government project in order to reduce the burden of administration procedures, paperwork and paper consumption to a minimum level. This will include e-government for vehicle and land registration, resident record and other public services which are accessible by all, everywhere and anytime.
6. Increase awareness of information technology across the country in rural and urban areas through introducing study curriculum from elementary to secondary education in information technology training and through public awareness.

What I have described above is very important that could serve as the basis for the working groups to formulate policies and strategies to analysis and discuss on the priority and urgent needs of Cambodia. Thus, they could gather good recommendations and ideas for their policy and strategy papers acceptable to all stakeholders including the government, NGOs, donor countries and private sector. Thus, it will also help mobilizing support and investments to contribute to the development of information technology in Cambodia confidently, transparently and effectively. Finally, it helps improve the environment for economic development both in the public and private sector, generate more employments for our people, and finally achieve the poverty reduction objective.

Once again, I would like to express my pleasure and sincere thanks for cooperation extended by the Republic of Korea to Cambodia, for the experiences shared in training of our human resources in the field of IT and for the provision of the concessional loan for the development of this sector.

Taking this opportunity again, I would like to thank ministries/departments, civil organizations, private sectors, government and international organizations who have contributed to the development of IT in Cambodia.  At the same time, may I dedicate this day as a day of action for infrastructure rehabilitation of technology and ICT across Cambodia, providing the service for each and everyone in the country in order to achieve the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals. In conclusion, I would like to wish you all, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, the five germs of Buddhist blessing.

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