Aid and development

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has ranked the Mekong Basin as the world’s most important hydrologic region or river basin for freshwater fish catches. In its latest State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report, the FAO said that Mekong Basin accounted ...

The Swedish government announced today it will cease providing development assistance, starting from July 1, and will redirect its focus to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. According to a press release issued by the Embassy of Sweden in Phnom Penh, the decision was ...

The Government of Norway through Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) confirmed its commitment to continue supporting Cambodia’s mine clearance efforts by providing $5 million for the next four years. The assistance was made known by Mr. Zlatko Vezillic, Programme Manager for NPA’s Cambodia’s Mine Action and Disarmament ...

Highlights: Vietnam’s National Assembly on June 8 ratified the EVFTA and the EVIPA agreements between Vietnam and the EU. Analysts hope the trade deal will give a much-needed boost to Vietnam’s economy as it looks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The agreement is expected to take effect sometime ...

Early on the morning of January 8, a team from the Wildlife Inspection Unit in Chiang Kong, Chiang Rai province, Thailand, was conducting a search at the Bann Jam Pong morning market. They had been sent there by Wachirayut Kietthibudr, head of the Wildlife Inspection ...

In an effort to ensure the legality of its entire timber supply chain and exports, Viet Nam has developed a draft Timber Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS) Decree to go into effect later this year. VNTLAS is a part of Viet Nam’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with ...

Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Region is among the most vibrantly biodiverse places in Asia. The southern tail of kite-shaped Myanmar, Tanintharyi encompasses hundreds of islands in the Myeik Archipelago, mangrove-lined coast, evergreen forests and the mountainous spine that forms the Thai-Myanmar border. The region holds some of Southeast ...

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA)  will commence preliminary studies for the construction of a deep-sea port at Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) this year, officials of the Dawei SEZ Committee said. “JICA first proposed the study in December 2019 but the process was waylaid by ...

Investigators have uncovered a scheme by European timber traders to evade E.U. laws by supplying Myanmar teak to the continent’s marine sector, including for decking on superyachts. The investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) was based on documents obtained from the Croatian agriculture ministry. The documents detailed ...

Vietnam has reached an inflection point in its economic development and needs to look for new models, the World Bank says. In a report it released on Wednesday, ‘Vibrant Vietnam: Forging the Foundation of a High-Income Economy’, the WB said domestic and foreign business environments in Vietnam are ...