Bob McMullan (L), Parliamentary Secretary for Development Assistance met Prime Minister Hun Sen during his visit to Cambodia on 3rd April 2008.At a meeting today between the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Interior, His Excellency Mr Sar Kheng and Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan, Australia announced its largest ever package of food aid. The package will help address persistent food shortages among Cambodia’s poorest people.
“To help around 800,000 Cambodians living in hunger, including 578,000 children, the Australian Government is providing the World Food Programme with AUD 6 million in 2009-10 to purchase and distribute more than 8600 metric tonnes of rice,” Mr McMullan said.
“Cambodia has one of the highest malnutrition rates in Asia. An estimated 2.8 million people lack access to adequate food and 39.5 per cent of children suffer from chronic malnutrition.
“On top of this, in 2009 the dual impact of the economic recession and Typhoon Ketsana placed even more Cambodians at risk of poverty and hunger. The typhoon affected 10 of Cambodia’s 24 provinces, damaging or destroying more than 107,000 hectares of rice crop just before harvest,” Mr McMullan said.
This assistance will also include new food-for-work programs, ensuring food for more than 145,000 farmers and labourers and their families during the pre-harvest season, as well as a home-based care program for up to 77,000 Cambodians affected by HIV/AIDS.
“To help Cambodia address its critical human resource needs Australia will also double the number of scholarships to Cambodia over the next four years, bringing the total number from 25 in 2010 to 50 by 2013-14,” Mr McMullan said.
“Through the Australian Development Scholarships program we will help Cambodia build the capacity of its institutions devastated by years of conflict.”
Since 1992, more than 260 Cambodians have completed postgraduate qualifications in Australia with the support of the program.
“Cambodian students who have graduated with Australian degrees have gone on to occupy a range of senior government positions and also form the core leadership of quality private universities in Cambodia,” Mr McMullan said.
The boost in the number of Australian Development Scholarships to Cambodia is in line with Australia’s commitment to strengthen human resources in developing countries and will make Australia the third largest scholarships provider in Cambodia, after China and France.
“To help around 800,000 Cambodians living in hunger, including 578,000 children, the Australian Government is providing the World Food Programme with AUD 6 million in 2009-10 to purchase and distribute more than 8600 metric tonnes of rice,” Mr McMullan said.
“Cambodia has one of the highest malnutrition rates in Asia. An estimated 2.8 million people lack access to adequate food and 39.5 per cent of children suffer from chronic malnutrition.
“On top of this, in 2009 the dual impact of the economic recession and Typhoon Ketsana placed even more Cambodians at risk of poverty and hunger. The typhoon affected 10 of Cambodia’s 24 provinces, damaging or destroying more than 107,000 hectares of rice crop just before harvest,” Mr McMullan said.
This assistance will also include new food-for-work programs, ensuring food for more than 145,000 farmers and labourers and their families during the pre-harvest season, as well as a home-based care program for up to 77,000 Cambodians affected by HIV/AIDS.
“To help Cambodia address its critical human resource needs Australia will also double the number of scholarships to Cambodia over the next four years, bringing the total number from 25 in 2010 to 50 by 2013-14,” Mr McMullan said.
“Through the Australian Development Scholarships program we will help Cambodia build the capacity of its institutions devastated by years of conflict.”
Since 1992, more than 260 Cambodians have completed postgraduate qualifications in Australia with the support of the program.
“Cambodian students who have graduated with Australian degrees have gone on to occupy a range of senior government positions and also form the core leadership of quality private universities in Cambodia,” Mr McMullan said.
The boost in the number of Australian Development Scholarships to Cambodia is in line with Australia’s commitment to strengthen human resources in developing countries and will make Australia the third largest scholarships provider in Cambodia, after China and France.
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