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The NGOF is a membership organization that builds NGO cooperation and capacity, supporting NGO networks and other civil society organizations to engage in policy dialogue, debate and advocacy.

Workshop on Access to Information and Community Participation in Decision-Making Process (es) for Development and Investment Projects”


On the morning of July 29, 2022, the NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGOF) in collaboration with the Institute for Advocacy and Policy (API), Coalition for Partnership in Democratic Development (CPDD), organized Workshop on Access to Information and Community Participation in Decision-Making Process (es) for Development and Investment Projects at the Himawari Hotel. The purpose of this workshop is: Disseminate reports on community gaps in decision-making processes for large-scale project development, conservation and development of indigenous peoples, and natural resource management. 2. Discuss ways to create sustainable solutions that increase community confidence and knowledge to effectively participate in the decision-making process on large-scale development projects.

Welcome remark by Dr. Tek Vannara, Executive Director of NGOF. He raised a provision of public participation that are existed in the policies, law, and regulations of Cambodia. He also raised a practical knowledge that is being conducted by NGOs as well as the sub-national government and TWG on the enforcement of the provision of public participation.

Mr. Man Vanphanith, Senior Program of API intervened on the access to information. Why is it important? The right to access to information is the right recognized internationally that the public is entitled to receive information and governments obliges to share the information to the public. In Cambodia few projects are considered to be the best cases for any development projects. For instance, the case of compensation of the white building case. API has been working with IPs in 3 provinces. Most NGOs did not received information when the development phase happens in village. They were aware only when the construction started. It is 130 countries endorsed A2I law. Surprisingly, China and Vietnam enacted the A2I law to receive more investment into the countries. API encourages the government to enact the A2I law which is currently under the mandate of the Ministry of Information.

Mrs. Kong Bunna, Deputy Director of Policy Analysis and Development Division of NCDD provided an opening remark. She expressed sincere thank the NGOF for inviting Ministry of Interior to participate in the workshop. She highlighted the reform of the decentralization that have been carrying out by the MoI. In order to achieve the goal of the reform, the law regulates to delegate the roles and responsibilities to sub-national government. The participation of local communities in the development in the 3-year rolling plan of the sub-national government. Therefore, it is very significant for the participation of local community in the development. She encouraged the participation of all parties in constructive way with the government.

Presentation of Mr. Tep Kuntheara, Freelance consultant The level of participation of local communities could be highlighted as a snapshot as good, satisfaction and poor. CSOs are a vibrant force. CSOs play an important role to promote community participation and to bridge the community with the government. Local NGOs has limit capacity in the participation, provide training to local communities to effectively participate in a consultation.

Concerning EIA, there is a clear lack of participation of local community in the consultation at the national level, except only at sub-national level.

The level of participation of NGOs and local communities is still limit in the large-scale development project. Some communities are proactive, they do not wait for any coordination from CSOs. Once they have received invitation from government, they organized themselves with their community by organizing a pre-meeting with their communities in advance. Other alternative, local communities should approach local government to seek addressing their issues. Most of local communities do not clearly understand the large-scale development project, so they lose confident in participating in the consultation of a project.

Closing Remark by Mr. Pheap Sophea He concluded the workshop and thank everyone for their active participation in the discussion.

Opmerkingen


Jul 19, 2024

National Consultative Seminar on Indigenous Communal Land
On 19 July 2024, Indigenous Community Support Organizations in collaboration with the NGO Forum on Cambodia and other partner organizations organized a National Consultative Seminar on Indigenous Communal Land (ICLT) in Kampong Cham Province. This national consultation seminar was cooperated by relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Environment, with the participation of authorities, community representatives, civil society organizations and development partners with a total of 158 participants (37 females). Achievements and research results, challenges and suggestions were brought for discussion during the seminar. Dr. Thol Dina, Project Director of LASEDIII of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, mentioned the previous community registration, which resulted in 193 communities being recognized by the Ministry of Rural Development, 153 communities recognized as legal entities by the Ministry of Interior and 43 communities officially recognized by the Ministry of Land Management. Please be informed that Mr. Soeung Saroeun, Executive Director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGOF) urges consideration of planning for resource and community development projects in addition to the current dialogue. In general, the content from the discussion, suggestions and recommendations are compiled and prepared as key notes for submission to the relevant ministry leaders for further discussion and address.

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Jul 16, 2024

Workshop on revisiting CSOs’ Input to new National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2024-2028
First of all, we would like to congratulate the NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGOF) that has been officially appointed by the Royal Government of Cambodia through the Ministry of Planning, as one of the members of Inter-Ministerial Committee and Technical Working Group for preparation of the new National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2024-2028. To play this critical role, on 9 January 2024, the NGOF organized a consultative workshop on Revisiting CSOs’ Inputs to new National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2024-2028 with around 80 participants both in person and virtual who are from the Ministry of Planning, NGOF’s member organizations, networks and development partners. Honorable guests and participants applauded the process and regarded that the NSDP is the most important document to drive development process in Cambodia so that all stakeholders should put all efforts to provide inputs and develop this plan. The full-day workshop aims to raise awareness of the first phase of the Pentagonal Strategic Plan and provide up-to-date information on the NSDP 2024-2028 process to civil society organizations that are members and partners of the NGOF, as well as present format to generate inputs from participants for the NSDP 2024-2028 that will then submit to each relevant ministry, Ministry of Planning and members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee. As a result of this consultation, participants have learned about the pentagonal strategies, process of NSDP preparation, and especially provided a lot of useful inputs which will be formulated into the CSO’s inputs paper to be submitted to the Government. Participants will encourage other CSO representatives and stakeholders in their contacts to provide further inputs online until 12 January 2024. The NGOF will consolidate the first collective inputs and will submit it to the line Ministries and Ministry of Planning in the week of 15 January 2024 onward. The NGO Forum and participants also strongly encourage all other CSOs to continue to provide inputs through online until the first draft of NSDP shared by the Ministry of Planning, tentatively in the second half of March/April 2024. Relate Document: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1acpHAOzjTPpdOeo1gcfUvhNjYzS3pxcp?usp=drive_link&fbclid=IwAR3y7ivHzu6i9iVLNm2UUS1q3G3FLvidaC5V4829eGABynslBtQxxxraOUA

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Oct 25, 2023

Provincial NGO Network Members Meeting at Preah Vihear Province
On the morning of 17 October 2023, Mr. Soeung Saroeun, Executive Director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGOF) and colleagues had conducted a consultative meeting with NGO members and partners in Preah Vihear to strengthen collaboration, and consult on a draft of NGOF's seven-year strategic plan (2024-2030) called "METRI" which is focusing on Multi-stakeholders Engagement for Transformative, Resilient, and Inclusive Society. As a result, our discussion was successfully proceeded, with good inputs and support from participants of "METRI" strategic plan. In addition, the NGO members and partners were happy to participate in joint initiatives based on the model to achieve common goals, and they specifically request that the NGOF remain active in supporting the positive impact on policies and laws influence and resource mobilization for the benefits of member organizations, communities and especially poor and vulnerable people.

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