By William E. Todd, U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia
Thank you all very much for reading my column. I
truly enjoy receiving and answering your questions. Please continue to
reach out to me at AskAMBToddPP@state.gov.
This week, I’d like
to talk about two very different issues, but both are important parts of
the U.S.-Cambodia relationship. The first is about adoptions between
our two countries. I wrote about this subject on my blog earlier this
week, but it is so significant that I wanted to discuss it in this
column as well.
There are many Americans who would like to
provide a loving home to orphan Cambodian children, so the issue of
inter-country adoptions between the United States and Cambodia is one
that I have followed closely since even before my arrival in Cambodia.
The need is clearly great, and as a father, it pulls at my heartstrings
to know that there are so many children in this world who grow up
without a loving family. I have met with many Cambodians and Americans
to discuss this important issue, and it is heartening to me that in
every instance those involved are concerned first and foremost with
protecting the interest of the children. Everyone agrees that in order
to keep these vulnerable children safe from predators and trafficking,
we must work together to ensure that each individual child will be
safely and legally cared for.
When inter-country adoptions were
previously allowed in Cambodia, there were numerous challenges that made
it difficult to ensure the safety and welfare of the children
involved. Issues such as legal custody by living parents and
difficulties in obtaining birth records made it very problematic to
process inter-country adoptions. Cambodia deserves credit for
recognizing these problems and for suspending such adoptions in 2009,
which highlighted its commitment to prioritizing the wellbeing of
children. Since 2009, the Cambodian government has focused considerable
effort on reforming the Cambodian adoption system. The Ministry of
Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MOSAVY) has made
notable progress toward implementing a comprehensive child welfare
program, and in August, the government announced plans to resume
inter-country adoptions in January 2013.
We commend Cambodia for
declaring its ambitions, and despite the significant amount of works
that needs to be accomplished in a short period, the United States is
committed, has been committed, and will be committed to support
Cambodia’s efforts to create a child welfare system and inter-country
adoption process that fulfills the country’s obligations under the Hague
Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Additionally, we are reviewing
if it will be possible to resume inter-country adoptions between the
United States and Cambodia in January. The U.S. Special Advisor for
Children’s Issues, Ambassador Susan Jacobs, is currently in Cambodia to
meet with Royal Government officials to discuss protections that must be
in place before inter-country adoptions between our two countries can
resume and to discuss how the United States can continue to support
Cambodia in this regard.
I welcome the opportunity to continue
working with the Cambodian government in its efforts to implement a
model child welfare system, so that when inter-country adoptions do
resume between our two countries, we can all be sure that the health,
safety, and wellbeing of the children come first. For the latest
information on inter-country adoptions, I encourage you to check our
website at http://cambodia.usembassy.gov/intl_adoption2.html
The
second topic I’d like to touch on today is our military-to-military
relationship. During my recent trip to Sihanoukville, some people asked
me, “Besides Pacific Partnership, what else do the United States and
Cambodia do to promote military engagement? Thankfully, I was able to
point to the pier and say, “Do you see that ship? It is a U.S. naval
ship with American sailors here doing dive exercises and drills with the
Cambodian Royal Navy. And next week, several more ships are coming to
do more exchanges as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training
(CARAT) Cambodia.”
Over the past few years, the number of
military exchanges between our two countries has grown from just a few
to over 170 every year, significantly strengthening the ties between our
uniformed military personnel. We work together through subject matter
expert exchanges; humanitarian assistance projects such as building
medical clinics, maternity wards, and schools; and emergency
preparedness exercises. Last week’s CARAT exercise, which we have done
since 2010, allowed our two navies to focus on enhancing maritime
security skills through activities such as maritime interdiction, diving
and salvage operations, maneuvering, and disaster response. Aside from
the drills, the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet Band offered a free concert
for the residents of Kampot. U.S. and Cambodian sailors also had a
chance to socialize with each other and build relationships through
football (or soccer as we call it in the United States). I like to
think that this relationship is a solid, positive example of how well
our two countries work together.
Once again, thank you for taking
the time to read my responses to your great questions. I want to be
sure we continue this exchange, so please send your questions to me in
English or Khmer at AskAMBToddPP@state.gov. Please also stay tuned to
the latest developments on my blog at http://blogs.usembassy.gov/todd/.
William E. Todd is U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia
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