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Assessing development efforts in Cambodia:

Report on the Parliamentary Field Visit to

the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia

November 11 – 16, 2007

World Bank Cambodia Country Office

Report on the Parliamentary Field Visit to the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Parliamentary Field Visit to Cambodia 1-2

1.1 Participants of the Field Visit: Advocates for agriculture & development 2

2. Current economic & political developments in Cambodia 2-5

3. The Role of the World Bank 5-7

4. The Role of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) 7-9

5. The Asian Development Bank in Cambodia 9-10

6. The Field Visits Part I: Focus on Agriculture 10-15

6.1 IRRI PROVIDE Site 10-14

6.2 Rice mill visit 11-12

6.3 O’Tang Irrigation System 12-13

6.4 CelAgrid, CIAT Activities 13-15

7. The Field Visits Part II: Poverty Reduction Projects supported by the World Bank 15-19

7.1 Health Sector: Rokar Koh Kampong Health Centre 15-16

7.2 Decentralisation & Deconcentration: Commune Council & Local Governance Project 17

7.3 Gender, Youth & Education: Hun Sen Kampong Phnom Secondary School & KYSD 18

7.4 Water Sector: Visit to Phnom Penh Water Utility Project 19

8. Consultations with key stakeholders 20-23

8.1 Civil society 20

8.2 Royal Government of Cambodia 20-22

8.3 Leaders of the opposition 22

8.4 Donors & the private sector 23

9. Main Findings and Recommendations 23-25

9.1 On agriculture and development 23-24

9.2 On corruption, democracy & the effective use of natural resources for development 24-25

10. Impact of the visit: Changing debates, sharing experiences and building new networks 26-27

10.1 In the spotlight: MP John Deasy, Ireland 26

10.2 In the spotlight: MP Ruqia Nayel, Afghanistan 27

10.3 In the spotlight: MP Gbenga Makanjuola, Nigeria 27

Annexes

I. List of Participants

II. Programme of the Field Visit

III. Parliamentarians in the Field program

IV The World Bank and Parliaments

V PNoWB background


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Parliamentary Field Visit to Cambodia: Assessing Innovative Agricultural Research &

Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy

From 11-16 November, a high level delegation of 13 parliamentarians from countries in Asia, Africa,

Europe and Latin America visited Cambodia to witness and assess on the ground Cambodia’s

development efforts through the field visit program of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank

(PNoWB).

The first two days of the visit focused on recent innovative development and research in the field of

agriculture and included visits to agricultural projects in the field. Day three to five of the visit were

dedicated to discussions and consultations with all major stakeholders in the Poverty Reduction

Strategy (PRS) in Cambodia. Parliamentarians held consultations with high level government officials,

including the Presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate, the donor community, civil society

and youth, the private sector and field visits to poverty reduction projects that receive support by the

World Bank in agriculture, public health, education and infrastructure. The visit was hosted by the

National Assembly of Cambodia and co-organized by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank

(PNoWB), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the World Bank.

The PnOWB was founded by parliamentarians and the World Bank in 2000. Its goal is to strengthen

transparency and accountability in international financial institutions by introducing new checks and

balances by involving parliamentarians across the world. The Network is now an independent

association of over 1000 parliamentarians from over 110 countries and has as of January 2006

functioned completely independent from the World Bank. The field visit program is one of the PNoWB’s

key activities, organised jointly with the World Bank and supported by a grant of the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs of Finland. Its purpose is to foster better understanding among Parliamentarians of development

activities and the role of the World Bank and donor coordination in recipient countries.

“This is the first time as an MP that I have the opportunity of monitoring the World Bank’s projects at the grass roots at the rural areas because before now, we just read it in the newspapers” Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola, MP from Nigeria. Left: Hon. MP Finn Martin Vallersnes from Norway next to Hon. Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam, Member of the French Senate.

For parliamentarians from donor countries, the visit aimed to build awareness and capacity to make

decisions on the allocation of development aid budgets in their national assemblies. For

parliamentarians from recipient countries, the visit provided an opportunity to observe and scan the

World Bank’s work in another country and to learn about new innovative approaches to development,


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while sharing best practices and experience from their home countries with key government officials

and all other major stakeholders in Cambodia.

Participants of the field visit: Advocates for agriculture and development

The field visit to Cambodia brought together a unique group of thirteen parliamentarians from Africa,

Asia, Europe and Latin America with a strong record of engagement and interest indevelopmental

issues and agriculture. The delegation was led by Hon. Quentin Davies, Member of Parliament and

member of the International Development Committee of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom

and included:

From Afghanistan, Hon. Ruqia Nayel, Member of the Afghan Parliament and Member of the

Agricultural Commission joined the delegation. From Thailand, Hon. MP Tuan Untachai

participated.

African delegates brought a unique perspective stemming from experiences in their home

countries to the visit. African delegates were Hon. MP Serge Amuri from the Democratic

Republic of Congo, Hon. MP Gbenga Makanjuola, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the

House Committee on Agriculture and sub-committee chairman on natural resources

appropriation committee from Nigeria and Hon. MP Anastase Nzirasanabo from Rwanda, who is

a member of the Senate Committee of Economics and Finance.

From Europe, Hon. MP Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam (France), member of the French Senate and

Member of the Foreign Affairs and the Defence and the Force Army’s Committee, as well as the

secretary of the delegation for women’s rights and equality opportunity among women and men.

Also from France, Hon. MP Jean Luc Reitzer, Member of Parliament and member of the

Foreign Affairs Committee and member of the France-Cambodia group. From Ireland, Hon. MP

John Deasy, recently appointed Deputy Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs with Special

Responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Chairman of the Development Aid

Subcommittee participated. Norway was represented by Hon. Finn Martin Vallersnes, Member

of Parliament and since 2001 Member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the

Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee and also a member of the Inter-parliamentary Union. From

Portugal, Hon. Miguel Ginestal, MP and Chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs,

Innovation and Regional Development, sub Commission for Agriculture, Rural Development and

Fishing. From Switzerland, Hon. Simon Epiney, MEP and member of the Finance Committee

and Committee on Environment and Energy.

From Latin America: Sharing experiences from agricultural development in Mexico Hon. Ramon

Salas, Member of Parliament and Secretary of the Agrarian Reform Committee and member of

the commission on water resources and viticulture participated in the visit.

Current economic and political developments and context in Cambodia

Cambodia has achieved impressive economic growth figures in recent years. However, there remain a

number of persistent and serious developmental challenges to the country’s economy that will have to

be addressed in the coming years in order to sustain current growth rates and consolidate economic

progress.


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Achieving Impressive Economic Growth

Cambodia’s economic performance continues to be solid. After three continues years of double digit

growth, the economy is expected to grow at 9.5 percent in 2007. This performance is underpinned by

continued strong exports (with a growth estimated at 27% in 2006 and projected at 14% in 2007),

private investment and consumption. Growth continues to rely on apparel exports, tourism, agriculture,

and construction. In 2007, garments exports continue to expand (17% expected growth) and tourist

arrival is estimated to increase by 25%.

Increasing trade volume, foreign direct investment and a growing financial sector

Large foreign direct investment (at 6% of GDP or more over the last 3 years) and the possible

exploitation of underground resources (oil, gas and mining) reinforce Cambodia’s medium-term growth

potential. Nevertheless, its narrow export base remains vulnerable to external developments. In

particular, the lifting of safeguard measures in China by the end of 2008 will further challenge

Cambodia’s garment sector. In addition, the exploitation of underground resources demands careful

management in terms of transparency, fiscal and macroeconomic aspects if Cambodia is to fully benefit

from their potential. The garment sector has sustained growth rates despite the lifting of quotas, the

tourism industry continues to boom and there has been a significant increase in Foreign Direct

Investment, although largely in the natural resource sector, connected with the discovery of possibly

significant volumes of off-shore oil and gas reserves.

In 2007, international trade continued to grow rapidly and foreign reserves could reach US$ 1.4 billion

by the end of the year. Despite pressure from world oil prices, the current account deficit (excluding

transfers) decreased to -7.2 % in 2006 and is expected to stabilize at -7.5% in 2007. Inflation has

increased from 2.8% in 2006 to a projected 6.5% in 2007. The size of the financial sector is growing: 23

commercial banks are operating with total lending-to-deposit ratio of 68%, and 16 micro-finance entities

are providing an estimated US$ 50 million of credits to micro and small businesses. Structurally,

important laws were passed in 2007, including the law on combating money laundering and terrorist

financing, and on the issuance and trading of non-government securities.

For the first time, in 2007, Cambodia obtained a sovereign debt rating from Moody’s and Standard &

Poor’s (a B-plus). Despite growing financial institutions, however, entrepreneurs are still facing

challenges to access credit (the average interest rate for one year term loans remains above

15%/annum). In addition, the IMF Article IV has flagged a number of risks in the rapid development of

the financial sector and has urged the central bank to step up its supervision.

In addition, there are possibly significant mineral resources to be discovered and exploited. Peaceful

commune elections were held in 2007 and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal became operational in 2007.

Finally, China has emerged as a major donor to Cambodia.

Significant Challenges Remain

With a per capita income of US$ 490 in 2006, Cambodia still remains one of the poorest countries in

the world. Recent studies show that poverty declined from 47% to 35% during the last decade and that

the rise in inequality during the earlier part of the decade has stabilized in recent years. New data on

education and health shows that most indicators are improving, with the exception of the maternal

mortality rate. However, significant challenges remain to Cambodia and economic growth and social

development need yet to be consolidated. Despite the high growth, the base of economic growth


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remains narrow and needs to be diversified, as the garment industry is accounting for 80% of exports

and is increasingly facing tougher competition from Vietnam. While revenues have increased, the

revenue to GDP ratio remains at 11.5% inadequate and well below the average of low income

countries, which is 16%. In education, despite rapid gains in primary school enrolment, only half of the

children entering primary school complete it, as dropout rates remain extremely high. In the Human

Development Index, Cambodia ranks 131 behind LAO PDR and before Myanmar. Life expectancy at

birth is 58 years, there is a 73.7 literacy rate, GDP per is capita 2,727 USD and there is a 60 %

combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education. The HDI classifies it as a

country with medium human development.

Illegal logging

According to the Human Development Report 2007/2008 illegal logging of hardwood timbers for export

was responsible for much of the 30% reduction in primary rainforest cover since 2000- one of the most

rapid losses recorded by the FAO worldwide. Cambodia estimates that US$ 10 million of investment

will be required to construct water gates and culverts for newly rehabilitated road networks developed

without factoring in increased risks of flooding.1

Governance issues

Cambodia ranks 152 out of 163 in the corruption perception index of transparency international.

According to Transparency International, in contrast to Asia’s middle to high income countries, the

commitments of Cambodia to ensuring adequate support for

courts and their personal has weakened, inviting corruption

and undermining the rule of law. Judicial officers are among

the least trusted government actors and provincial courts

are among the least trusted institutions.2 Low salaries and

the courts’ financial structure are significant causes of

corruption. The government allocated 55.2 billion riel (US$

13.1 million) to the judiciary in 2006, with each lower court allotted an annual budget of US$ 23,100.

There are 225 judges, or 17 per million people in Cambodia, and fewer than 300 practising lawyers.

Judges received a 10-fold pay raise in 2002 in a bid to curb corruption. With a base rate of only 1.4

million riel (US$ 360) a month, this had little impact on corruption because it was granted universally

with no reference to performance. Standard civil service salary is 130,00 riel (US$ 33.35) per month.

Even complicated trials routinely last less than 10 minutes, and an estimated 50 percent of cases go

forward without an attorney. Judicial opinions are not documented transparently, and judges rarely

explain their reasoning or note it in the court record, although this is required by law.

Economic freedom and property rights

According to the 2007 Index of Economic Freedom developed by the Wall Street Journal and the

Heritage Foundation, Cambodia ranks 102 out of 157- before India and behind the Philippines.

Cambodia must foster a more transparent, rules-based economic system to encourage business

development and expansion beyond the current base of textiles, tourism and agriculture. Starting a

1 See: Human Development Report 2007/2008. Fighting Climate Change: Human Solidarity in a Divided World. Also: Royal Government of

Cambodia. 2006. National Adaptation Programme of Action to Climate Change (NAPA). Ministry of Environment, Phnom Penh. 2 See: ‘Public Opinion Surveys on Judicial Independence and Accountability. Country Report Cambodia. Asian Development Bank, September

2004.

While Cambodia receives large

volumes of aid, the delivery of aid

remains highly projectized and

fragmented. Most notably,

governance remains weak, as a

number of global indicators confirm.


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business takes on average 86 days, compared to the world average of 48 days. The overall freedom to

start, operate, and close a business is significantly limited by the national regulatory environment.

Cambodia’s legal system does not protect property effectively and contains many gaps in company

law, bankruptcy, and arbitration. The land titling system is not fully functional; most property owners do

not have documentation to prove ownership.

The Role of the World Bank in Cambodia

The World Bank in Cambodia currently finances thirteen projects that are under implementation for a

total of US$ 263 million in loan and grants. In addition to financial assistance, the World Bank provides

knowledge and ideas and technical assistance to the country, e.g. through the Equity Report and

Poverty Assessment. During the visit, delegates received a detailed and comprehensive briefing on the

World Bank’s activity and strategy in Cambodia from World Bank Country Manager Nisha Agrawal, as

well as from sectoral experts from the World Bank country office.

Delegates received a detailed briefing on World Bank activity by World Bank Country Manager Nisha Agrawal and World Bank sector experts.

A Vision for a Cambodia free of poverty

The World Bank promotes a vision of a Cambodia that is free of poverty, enabling it to reach the

Millennium Development Goals by eradicating poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary

education, reaching gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving

maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental

sustainability and providing de-mining and victim assistance.

Focus on Governance: The World Bank Country Assistance Strategy (CAS)

In order to attain these goals, it has designed the so-called Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) which

lays out the World Bank’s program of assistance to the country and is designed to support the

implementation of the government’s own Poverty Reduction Strategy. The CAS was developed after

extensive consultations with all key stakeholders (Government, private sector, civil society, and other

development partners) and was endorsed by the Board of Directors in May 2005 for the period of 2005-


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2008.3 In Cambodia, the CAS was designed with a focus on governance, as many institutions of

governance were destroyed during the last three decades of conflict and need to be rebuilt. Analytical

work pointed to governance as the main constraint to poverty reduction in the country. For instance, the

Investment Climate Assessment (ICA) documented the high costs of doing business in Cambodia

(2004-2005), the Integrated Fiduciary Assessment and Public Expenditure Review (IFAPER) identified

the need for critical public financial management reforms (2003) and the study “Cambodia at the

Crossroads” found that accountability mechanisms were weak and needed to be strengthened (2004).

Figure 1: Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) 2005 Ratings, demonstrating Cambodia lagged its peers on governance indicators.

Accordingly, the World Bank has designed the CAS for Cambodia to tackle governance at two levels:

Firstly at the country level to build back the institutions of governance that were destroyed by three

decades of conflict and secondly at the project level to protect funds delivered through World Bank

projects. The overall CAS rests three pillars. The goal of the first pillar is to remove the governance

constraints to high poverty growth and poverty reduction by focusing on four themes at the country

level:

1. The promotion of private sector development by reducing the costs of doing business.

2. Strengthening public financial management (including management of oil revenues in the

future).

3. Improving natural resource management (securing property rights to land and access to

forests).


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4. Supporting decentralization and strengthening local governance and promoting a stronger

demand for good governance by increasing citizens’ voice and participation in the policy making

process.

On the project level, the first pillar strives to reduce fiduciary risks in order to protect World Bank project

fund in the short term. In collaboration with the Cambodian government, The World Bank has

undertaken a study to understand the weaknesses in the underlying fiduciary systems that were

leading to leakages in World Bank projects.

Pillar two focuses on the support of Cambodia to reach the MDGs by aiding with the formulation and

implementation of a Government-led strategy (the National Strategic Development Plan) to achieve the

MDGs and help with analytical and investment services under-funded sectors and sub-sectors critical to

reaching the MDGs. Finally, the third pillar promotes partnerships with other stakeholders.

Since the World Bank is a relatively small financial player in Cambodia, providing about US$ 50 million

per annum of a total of about US$ 600 million in 2005 and has recognized that it cannot tackle

governance and corruption challenges or attain the MDGs alone, it has decided to do a joint CAS with

the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the UK-Department for International Development (DFID) and the

UN system, putting governance at the heart of the CAS. In addition, the World Bank has conducted a

joint CAS with the World Bank Group, namely the International Finance Cooperation (IFC) Mekong

Private Sector Development Facility (MPDF), which provides advisory services at national and

provincial levels and to institutions supporting enterprises. Currently, the World Bank is evaluating the

implementation of the CAS during the last two years and preparing a progress report to be presented in

early 2008.

Current Portfolio under Implementation

Trade Facilitation and Competitiveness (FY05- FY10), IDA Grant of USD 10 m.

Education Sector Support (FY05- FY11), IDA Credit USD 20 m.

Rural Electrification and Transmission (FY04- FY09), IDA Credit USD 40m.

Provincial and Rural Infrastructure (FY04-FY10), IDA Credit USD 20 m.

Provincial and Peri-Urban Water Supply (FY03- FY08), IDA Credit USD 19.9 m.

Health Sector Support (FY03-FY09), IDA Credit USD 27 m.

Economic and Public Sector Capacity Building (FY02- FY08), IDA Credit USD 5 m.

Land Management and Administration (FY02- FY08), IDA Credit USD 26.6 m.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (FY00-FY08), IDA-GEF USD 4.6 m.

The Role of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in Cambodia

The CGIAR is a strategic alliance of members, partners and international agricultural centres that

mobilizes science to benefit the poor. It works to achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty

in developing countries through scientific research and research related activities in the fields of

agriculture, forestry, fisheries, policy, and environment. Cambodia and the CGIAR have worked

together as partners since the 1980s, when Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

(MAFF) invited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to help the country restore its rice

capability after many years of civil war. With funding from the Australian government, the Cambodia-


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IRRI-Australia project (CIAP) was launched in 1987 to increase rice production to improve food security

and develop Cambodia’s agricultural research capacity. Within a decade, Cambodia achieved rice self-

sufficiency, with 34 varieties released, researchers and technicians trained, infrastructure rebuilt,

national genetic resources restored, and an extensive network of government and nongovernmental

collaborators established. In 1999, those efforts culminated in the creation of the Cambodian

Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI). Presently, the Cambodia-CGIAR partnership

involves several CGIAR supported Centres that are contributing to Cambodia’s agricultural

development together with local institutions.

A collaborative initiative between Cambodia’s Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

(MOWRAM) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is supporting Cambodia’s

adoption of so called Participatory Irrigation Management and Development (PIMD) policies.

PIMD, now part of national policy in Cambodia, enables farmers to take over the management

of their irrigation systems, with the aim of improving productivity, incomes and living conditions.

IWMI has been working with MOWRAM in developing a PIMD program for Cambodia that

provides assistance in three stages: initial policy formulation, preparation of implementation

guidelines and training modules, and program implementation.4

In Cambodia, 85 percent of the population are rice farmers, and rice provides three-fourths of

daily calorie intake. There is an urgent need to increase rice production in the poorest regions of

the country. Plan International is setting up schools and training teachers for remote villages,

but poor rice yields due to droughts are forcing villagers to send their children to work to earn

money for rice. In response, Project PROVIDE (Poverty Reduction Options Validated in Drought

Environments) was developed by IRRI, Plan International and CARDI together with the

provincial agricultural extension service to solve the problem in six villages in Siem Reap and

Kampong Cham Provinces to help poor rice farmers to increase yields, improve food security,

and thereby enable them to send their children to school.

CIAT, the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture is engaged in a program to develop

cassava a raw material for animal feed and starch production, which could become an important

source of cash income for poor farmers. Currently, several companies are planning new

factories for the production of dry chips, starch and bio ethanol, with the potential to boost

market demand for cassava. In 2004, at the start of the programme, nine Thai cassava varieties

bred in collaboration with CIAT were introduced in Cambodia together with CARDI and showed

higher yields. Additional varieties were introduced from Vietnam and China, which are now

being multiplied for widespread testing. In addition, CIAT is working with CelAgrid to conduct pig

feeding trials. Findings indicate that cross-bred pigs fed a diet of rice bran, cassava root meal

and either wilted or ensiled cassava leaves result in weight gain of about 200-300 grams a day.

In the long term, these efficient and effective integrated cassava-based cropping and livestock

production systems will enhance total farming productivity and livelihoods. CIAT is also starting

new activities related to the use of improved forages as feed to improve livestock production.

Shortage of animal feed is a major limitation to livestock production, especially at certain times

of the year. By planting small areas of high-quality productive forages, farmers are able to

4 For further information on the project see: www.iwmi.cgiar.org


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greatly reduce feed shortages. A range of forage species and varieties have been evaluated

widely in the region and used successfully by smallholder farmers. At the same time, the

capacity of extension staff has been increased, so they can work in partnership with farmers to

improve livestock production systems and rural livelihoods. A third area of work has involved

training NGO staff to improve smallholders’ links to markets.

The Mekong River and Tonle Sap Lake create a vast freshwater system covering 1.8 million

hectares. Sixty-five million people in this region live mostly along rivers and water courses, and

depend heavily on shared resources- water, fish, land and forests. Increasing population, over-

exploitation of resources and degradation of the environment are threatening livelihoods,

especially those of the poor. In response, the WorldFish Centre has developed a program on

aquatic resources for poverty eradication and food security in the Mekong Region. Research

aimed at increasing the productivity of small-scale farmers has resulted in methods for

integrating aquaculture with rice farming in floodplain ecosystems. Farmers are now able to

obtain 500-1500 kilograms of fish per hectare from flooded ecosystems, compared to an

average of 50 kilos before. Resulting from genetics research, farmers have now access to

improved fish breeds, resulting in increased production and lower costs.

The Asian Development Bank in Cambodia

Arjun Goswami, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank in Cambodia identified Cambodia’s

current challenges at the crossroad of economic development.

Political stability juxtaposed with demographically driven demands for concrete development

results and employment

Impressive economic growth and improving debt sustainability juxtaposed with future potential

resource curse and volatility risks

Progress on certain social indicators juxtaposed with persistent poverty, especially in rural areas

where the most poor people and growing labour force live

Economic growth despite poor governance but with governance constraints becoming more

acute as the economy moves beyond security and subsistence

Challenge of being a dynamic region.

As a response to these challenges, the ADB has focused its Country Strategy and Program 2005-2009

on intensifying agricultural and rural development, supporting good governance for sector reform, risk

mitigation and institutional reforms for anticorruption.

ADB Programming 2007-2009

ADB’s lending indicative 3-year pipeline of a total of 204.3 million (up to 50% grant) is composed of

USD 60 million for agriculture and natural resources, USD 44.5 million for education, USD 17 million for

industry and trade, USD 33 million for transport and communication, USD 11.8 million for law,

economic management and public policy, USD 23 million for finance and USD 15 million for water

supply and sanitation. In addition, the non-lending indicative pipeline amounts to USD 13.9 million.


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The Field Visits: Focus on Agriculture

The first two days of the visit were devoted to recent innovative developments and research in the field

of agriculture. Delegates visited agricultural projects supported by the Consultative Group on

International Agricultural Research.

1. IRRI PROVIDE (Poverty-Reduction Options Validated Drought Environments) Site, Daun Peng commune, Angkor Chum, Siem Reap Province.

Local farmers gave delegates a warm welcome on their rice fields at the IRRI PROVIDE site in the Daun Peng commune.

Poor rice yields due to droughts are forcing villagers to send their children to work, instead of to school,

to earn money for rice and pose a threat to food security in rural Cambodia. In response, the

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), CARDI and Plan International have developed Project

PROVIDE (Poverty Reduction Option Validated in Drought Environments) in six villages in Siem Reap

and Kampong Cham provinces to help poor rice farmers to increase yields, improve food security, and

therefore enable them to send their children to school and improve food security. Delegates visited

experimental rice fields and consulted with local rice farmers and the district leader of Daun Peng

Commune, were 120 families are cultivating rice on plots of about 1.2 hectares per family. Daun Peng

Commune frequently suffers severe droughts that destroy harvests. Through a combination of

improved rice varieties and farming techniques such as the leveling of fields and the application of

mineral fertilizers, farmers were able to improve yields by 30% with less than 50% of the amount of

seed they previously used, as local farmer Iean Im reported to delegates. Dr. Gary Jahn, IRRI

Representative and Coordinator for the Greater Mekong Subregion explained that the improved rice

varieties which allow for later sowing (August instead of June), enabling farmers to avoid drought. The

district leader asked delegates’ support for the building of an irrigation dam for this village, as this would

enable farmers to more than double yields. Farmers also noted the dramatically increasing prices for


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real estate. Delegates raised concern about the impact of such of a possible irrigation dam on

neighbouring villages and stressed the importance of an effective system of land titles for local farmers.

MP Quentin Davis from the United Kingdom, leader of the delegation, questions Siem Reap farmer Iean Im and her fellow farmers about her experience, problems and their assessment of the future potential of the IRRI PROVIDE project. Left: MP Miguel Ginestal from Portugal and MP Jean Luc Reitzer from France.

2. Rice Mill Visit, Siem Reap City

Following the visit with local farmers, delegates were able to gain insight into the post harvest phase of

rice production at a local rice mill in Seam Reap City. Without proper milling of rice, rice easily spoils

and can only be kept for a short time. Milled white rice can be stored indefinitely as long as the grain is

kept dry and in airtight containers. IRRI postharvest projects have introduced milling and storage to the

village level in Cambodia and other countries. At the site, the mill’s owner explained production

techniques and marketing principles to delegates. At the mill, farmers receive 22 cent per kilo for

unmilled rice, which is then milled and resold at US$ 333 per tonne (33 cents per kg) on the local

market. Dr. Gary Jahn of IRRI explained the great importance of rice as a source of complex

carbohydrates and protein in Cambodia, where malnutrition remains a serious problem with 35%

children affected in villages. Both vitamin A and iron deficiency remain common, especially in rural

areas. The owner of the rice mill explains technical procedures and marketing principles of rice milling in Cambodia to delegates. Left: Dr. Gary Jahn of IRRI.


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Delegates raised concern over the fact that farmers do not organize locally to collectively sell their

produce to local markets, enabling them to achieve higher profits for their rice. Blake Ratner, the World

Fish representative in Cambodia, said agriculture and agricultural research remain of paramount

importance to the Cambodian economy: “We need policymakers to strengthen the vital role agriculture

plays in poverty reduction.”

3. O’Tang Irrigation System, Kampong Speu Province

On the following day, delegates visited a participatory irrigation project in Kampong Speu Province

which is implemented by the Cambodian government with technical assistance from the International

Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Rehabilitated reservoir and dam of O’Tang Irragation System, Kampong Speu Province

At a station close to the

reservoir, Ella Pereira, who

has been a consultant with

the project since 2004, together with the chairman and five members of the local Farmer Water User

Community Committee explained to delegates the functioning of the irrigation scheme for local villages.

The site visited has been among the best performing among eleven pilot schemes based on an

innovative, participatory system of irrigation. Part of the irrigation scheme, such as the bridge, the dam

and the reservoir, were built in 1976 by the government. In 1998, the scheme was rehabilitated. Water

is allocated after individual farmers submit requests to the committee. Through the project, local

farmers were able to increase yields by 1,5-

1,8t/hectar, as well as increase income by growing

water melon in the dry season. According to

Perreira, the water from the reservoir serves as

supplemental supply to farmers, who pay 20-50 US$

per hectare for irrigation. Prices vary depending on

the need to pump the water to the fields. Delegates

raised serious concerns regarding this form of pricing mechanism, among them MP Quentin Davis, who

criticized it as inefficient and lacking economic incentives for prudent water usage.

“Charging per hectare does not provide an economic incentive to take less than you need under the current charging scheme. If this is replicated throughout Cambodia, we will create a very inefficient system. Price incentives for water are needed” Hon. MP Quentin Davies, United Kingdom.


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Ella Perreira, consultant with the project since 2004 explains the irrigation scheme to delegates

After the visit, delegates met with local farmers in one of the beneficiary villages of the irrigation

scheme. Farmers explained the strengths and weaknesses of the scheme, the possibility of two

seasons of cultivation for crops and marked an increased need for culverts to decrease cost for water

usage which are generated from the need to pump the water over longer distances.

4. CelAgrid, CIAT Activities: Use of cassava for pig feeding, Prah Theat Village, Kandal Steung District, Kandal Province

The following visit led delegates to CelAgrid Station, a research center that works on research on

cassava leaves for livestock feeding. CelAgrid was founded in 2003, together with the University of

Tropical Agriculture. The research center’s director delivered a presentation to delegates on current

research activities. Cassava leaves, which farmers grow in the backyards and which are not consumed

by humans in Cambodia, contain high levels of protein and can provide a suitable feeding source for

livestock, especially pigs. Through its research program, the centre has developed recipes for cassava

silages and a mix with other additives which allows for maximum weight gain in pigs. In addition, the

production of silage allows farmers to store fermented cassava leaves for months. In the pilot project,

each farmer receives two piglets to test the newly developed feeding techniques. In addition to

research on cassava leaves, the center has developed a biogas plant prototype which can be used as

to produce energy for local farmers. The prototype involves capital costs of US$ 45 for materials. It can

run on the manure produced by four pigs to produce enough energy for one family. In addition, it

provides an effective sanitary system to manage the manure. Further, the center is currently developing

fish breeding techniques for cod to be used in local villages.


14

Pig feeding on cassava silage produced as part of innovative agricultural research at CelAgrid station.

5. Outline of CIAT activities at CARDI and in other provinces

Delegates visited a number of experimental fields in the CARDI compound, where Dr. Reinhart Howeler

of the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) explained CIAT’s activities in Cambodia and

in the region. Accordingly, CIAT is engaged in a program to develop cassava as a raw material for

animal feed and starch production, which could become an important source of cash income for poor

farmers in Cambodia. Currently, several companies are planning new factories for the production of dry

chips, starch and bio-ethanol, with the potential to boost market demand for cassava. In 2004, at the

start of the programme, nine Thai cassava varieties bred in collaboration with CIAT were introduced in

Cambodia together with CARDI and showed higher yields. Additional varieties were introduced from

Vietnam and China, which are now being multiplied for widespread testing. In addition, CIAT is working

with CelAgrid to conduct pig feeding trials. Findings indicate that cross-bred pigs fed a diet of rice bran,

cassava root meal and either wilted or ensiled cassava leaves result in weight gain of about 200-300

grams a day. In the long term, these efficient and effective integrated cassava-based cropping and

livestock production systems will enhance total farming productivity and livelihoods.

Dr. Reinhard Howeler of CIAT explaining cassava research and use in Cambodia. Left: MP Jean-Luc Reitzer from France.


15

Dr. Reinhardt Howeler explaining demonstration plants (cassava) to MP Serge Amuri from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On the same day, parliamentarians visited the Cambodia Agricultural Research and Development

Institute (CARDI). At the institute, the team was greeted by CARDI’s director Dr. Men Sarom and

discussed activities that CARDI, World Fish and IRRI are undertaking in Cambodia. In the ensuing

debate, delegates, among them Portuguese MP Miguel Ginestal, raised the following critical points:

Farmers need to be linked more efficiently to markets.

Farmers need to be encouraged to create cooperatives in order to be able to access markets

more efficiently and negotiate collectively in order to receive higher profit margins. In addition,

they need to form coalitions and interest groups in order to lobby their interests at the political

level.

Donors need to support vocational training and technology transfer for rural farmers in

Cambodia in the field of agriculture.

Field Visits to Poverty Reduction Projects supported by the World Bank 1. Health Sector: Visit to Rokar Koh Kampong Health Center, Kampong Speu

The following part of the field visit was hosted by the World Bank, starting with a visit to the Rokar Koh

Health Center, one of the public health centers supported by the World Bank and other development

partners through the Health Sector Support Project. At the health center, delegates met with Health

Minister H.E. Nuth Sokhom, provincial health department officers and health center staff, as well as

with patients who had come to use the center’s services. Through the visit, delegates were able to gain

insight into the everyday functioning and challenges of public health services in rural Cambodia.

According to World Bank Senior Health Specialist Toomas Palu, health centers of this type are central

to the government’s effort to improve access to primary health care. Typically, each health center

provides care to 10,000- 12,000 people in surrounding communities, with a total of 967 centers

throughout Cambodia. Primary health care provided includes vaccination of children, antenatal care,

professional assistance to childbirth, and first level treatment to common diseases, outreach to

communities with public health messages, and other measures. Health centers interact with Village

Health Support Groups and also have a community participation mechanism via the Health Center


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Management Committees. The center visited represents World Bank support to improving infrastructure

based on a new health center design. In addition, the World Bank provides financial support for the

training of health staff. H.E. Nuth Sokhum, Minister of Health welcomed the delegation at the site and

thanked for their support, stating that a new strategic plan is under development to tackle health issues

with a focus on the fight against maternal mortality and bird flu. In order to address the issue of bird flu,

the ministry has launched awareness campaigns. As part of the campaign, two volunteers per village

teach local farmers about the dangers of avian influenza.

The local health center was inaugurated in early 2007 and employs a total of 7 health workers, who

offer general consultations, treatment of child illnesses, general delivery, small surgeries, natal and

postnatal care, immunization services, detection of tuberculosis, de-worming, vitamin supplementation

and home based treatment for HIV/AIDS. The local head nurse reported the center’s achievements in

2007 in these areas. Parliamentarians were generally impressed with Cambodia’s record of fighting

HIV/AIDS, which has led to a significant reduction of new cases, as well as the government’s effective

campaign against avian influenza. MP Fin-Martin Vallersners from Norway showed special interest in

an innovative financing mechanism in the health care sector. Through the establishment of an equity

fund that pays for primary health care for the rural poor and free vaccinations, health care becomes

accessible to those who would not be able to afford it otherwise. The discussion was followed by a tour

of the center. Delegates were impressed with the governments program against HIV/AIDS.

MP Fin Martin Vallersnes from Norway at Rokar Koh Kampong Health Center showed special interest in Cambodia’s innovative financing mechanism through the establishment of an equity fund that pays for primary health care of the rural poor.

Avian influenza remains a danger to Cambodian farmers. Through a nationwide awareness campaign that specifically targets rural farmers and that uses posters such as these, Cambodia has achieved remarkable success. This achievement is important not only for Cambodia, but for farmers around the world, as MP Miguel Ginestal from Portugal noted: “Avian influenza is a global problem that affects us all and I am impressed by the efforts undertaken by the Cambodian government in preventing a pandemic”


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2. Decentralization & Deconcentration: Commune Council and Rural Investment and Local Governance Project financed by the World Bank

Following the visit to the health center, delegates met seven commune council members at the Rokar

Koh commune office, representing the Cambodian Peoples Party, the Sam Rainsy Party, and the

Norodom Ranariddh Party. The parliamentarians were briefed by the commune chief about its

development, especially about the decentralization process. Through a program funded from the

national budget, and supported by the World Bank and other development partners, around US$

10,000 is granted to each of Cambodia’s 1621 communes every year. Improving the framework for

public and private investment in rural areas in Cambodia requires effective local governance.

Resources available to communes are still quite limited and their capacity, while steadily improving,

remains weak. Rokar Koh Commune does not have its own-source revenue and therefore relies solely

on the inter-governmental transfer of funds through the Commune/Sangat fund, which is financed in

part by the Rural Investment and Local Governance Projects by the World Bank.

Delegates were able to meet with provincial officials and project advisors and the Commune Council,

which was elected for a five year term in February 2002 in Cambodia’s first local government election.

Commune Councils have the responsibility for a modest range of local development and administration

functions with their current, fairly limited capabilities. They include maintaining order and security,

managing commune development planning, including citizens’ involvement, and budgeting, designing

and implementing small-scale local development projects initially focused on the provision of small-

scale public infrastructure such as village roads. Given the low education and literacy rates in rural

areas, coupled with limited experiences with decentralized development, the capacity of commune

councils remains limited. On site, the head of the commune presented infrastructure as a priority need,

with a number of rural roads undergoing repair works. Other areas of focus were women and children

and environmental issues. In the Commune Councils, participation of women as councilors has

doubled since 2002 as one council representative noted. NGOs are training local women to participate

in the councils, as a female councilor reported.

Ms. Thun Sokleng, the sole female member of the Council, responsible for women’s and children’s affairs, received messages of encouragement and exchanged experiences of women in politics with parliamentarians.


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3. Gender, Youth and Education: Visit to Hun Sen Kampong Phnom Secondary School, followed by visit to Khmer Youth and Social Development Organization (KYSD), Neak Loeung, Kandal Province

The education sector in Cambodia is facing several challenges in providing equitable access to

education services. Many primary schools are still under construction. Despite an increase primary net

enrolment rate of 92%, completion rates remain low, at 47%. A system for standardized learning

assessment has yet to be established to guarantee quality and efficiency of education services. The

World Bank’s on-going portfolio for education in Cambodia is USD 28 million for 2005-2010. Delegates

visited the Hun Sen Kampong Phnom secondary school and were welcomed by students and H.E. Mak

Van, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and education department

officers of Kandal province. Officials reported that enrolment figures are increasing in Cambodia,

educational facilities are improving and a scholarship program through the Education Sector Support

Project which is supported by the World Bank has been established. Following the official discussion,

delegates were able to visit classrooms and talk to individual students and teachers.

MP Anastase Nzirasanabo from Rwanda questions local 9th grader about his educational experience.

Delegates delivered messages of encouragement and motivation and engaged in a lively discussion

with pupils in their classrooms. Next, parliamentarians visited a project supported by the World Bank

Small Grants Program. The Khmer Youth and Social Development Organization (KYSD) is a non-profit

organization that received a US$ 12,000 by the World Bank to promote women as partners in

promoting gender and good governance in the community in Kandal and Kampong Cham provinces,

targeting young people, particularly students. Parliamentarians were deeply impressed by KYSD’s work

and the vitality, intelligence and eagerness to learn among the students.

MP Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam from France discussing with participants at KYSD.


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5. Water Sector: Visit to Phnom Penh Water Utility Project

The final field visit took delegates to the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Chruoy Changwar, were

delegates met with H.E. Ek Sun Chan, General Director of the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority

(PPWSA). Cambodia has made remarkable progress in rebuilding its urban water supply sector since

the early 1990s. The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) is serving the capital and its

suburbs and has gone through a major transformation, achieved with significant donor support over the

past decade, including funding from the World Bank, UNDP, Japan and France, with Japan being the

biggest donor (USD 60 million since 1993). The WTP, which was financed by the World Bank and

completed in 2003, provides 235,000 cubic meters of clean water per day. Delegates were greeted at

the site by H.E. Ek Sun Chan, Director General of the PPWSA and toured the facilities.

MP Ruqia Nayel, member of the Afghan parliament inspecting the site.

Dr. Ek Sun Chan, General Director of the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) discusses the development of the water sector in Cambodia with delegates.


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Consultations with key stakeholders

1. Consultations with representatives from civil society

Parliamentarians met with representatives from civil society during a visit of HAGAR Restaurant, an

NGO that provides employment, training and rehabilitation to people who have suffered from sustained

human rights abuse, severe trauma, and or disability. HAGAR runs two restaurants, a beverage tetra

pack processing factory and a garment factory for handbags in Phnom Penh. The IFC participates as

an equity partner. In a lively discussion with representatives from civil society, parliamentarians listened

to the concerns and thoughts and learned about the views of civil society members on the development

efforts in Cambodia undertaken by the government and supported by international donors and

development agencies. Most importantly, discussants from NGOs raised the following points and

concerns:

On the issue of natural resources and land grabbing:

Next to the need to enforce existing policies and laws, there is a need to provide environmental

impact assessments throughout the country.

Indigenous people should receive land titles as soon as possible.

There are strong concerns regarding the proper management of existing resources and their

use for the public good.

On agriculture

Both donors and the government are not paying enough attention to the development of the

agricultural sector. The government has failed to develop a comprehensive policy to support

farmers.

Farmers are left to themselves with unsustainable crops and are facing strong competition from

imported agricultural products.

Farmers are seeking new and innovative techniques, and the agricultural research sector is

facing a large human resource gap.

Donors are unable to reach farmers while the government and the World Bank are suffering a

knowledge gap in agriculture.

On corruption:

Corruption remains a major problem in Cambodia, with ineffective legal measures in place to

curb power and survival corruption.

Consultations with the Royal Government of Cambodia

During their stay in Cambodia, parliamentarians engaged in an intensive dialogue with high level

members of the Royal Government of Cambodia on a number of issues of utmost importance to

Cambodia’s development efforts. Consultations were held during a courtesy meeting with H.E. Heng

Samrin, President of the National Assembly, a meeting with H.E. Chea Sim, President of the Senate

and a dinner with high level representatives from government.

During a meeting with the heads of the nine Special Commissions to the National Assembly,

parliamentarians started a thorough and lively debate. Items to be discussed in the meeting had been

drawn up during a lunch briefing session with World Bank staff at the World Bank Country office, in

which experts from the World Bank country team around Country Manager Nisha Agrawal delivered


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detailed briefings on Cambodia’s development efforts by sector. Accordingly, items that were discussed

focused on:

1. Health & education (public services)

2. Economic issues, including aid

3. Environment

4. Governance, transparency, human rights

H.E. Mrs. Ho Naun, Chairwoman on Public Health, Social Work, Veteran, Youth Rehabilitation, Labor,

Vocational Training and Women’s Affairs explained government policy in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Together with UNAIDS, the government established a government authority to tackle the problem.

Raising awareness through the media, university and school, non-discrimination against people living

with HIV/AIDS and educational program throughout the whole spectrum of society are central elements

of the policy. The government budget for HIV/AIDS reduction programs is large. MP Miguel Ginestal of

Portugal raised the importance of having effective measures in place to fight against avian influenza

outbreaks in the future, before it spreads to neighboring countries and eventually becomes a global

pandemic. H.E. Mrs. Khoun Sodary, Chairwoman on Protection of Human Rights and Reception of

Complaints and H.E. Mrs. Ho Naun of Public Health explained that the government has installed local

test centers in the country side and has set up awareness campaigns but is facing budgetary restrains.

H.E. MP Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam asked questions concerning education and the representation of

women in parliament. Commissioners explained that after the end of the Red Khmer regime, 60% of

the population were women, who often get married after the age of 14 and do have a mindset that they

cannot generate income for their families. Enrolment of females in primary school is equal to that of

males, but completion rates remain low.

H. E. MP Miguel Ginestal noted that there is a need to prepare children from age 1-5 to go to primary

school at the age of six. Commissioners pointed out that the government has adopted a policy of

building schools closer to home in order to give all access to education. Further, the government with

assistance from the International Labor Organization (ILO) tries to discourage from using their children

for labor and provides housing and education for children, for instance in Kampung Chang salt

production.

Parliamentarians engaged in a lively discussion with the heads of the nine reform commissions.

“Will you sign on to the EITI?


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Several Commissioners identified receiving international aid, investments in the garment sector, a

government law on investment in Cambodia which increased foreign direct investments in the country,

most favored nation status in the world trade regime and 1,110 temples and other historical sites as key

factors for economic growth. Further, Cambodia wants to develop mutual investment protection

agreements with countries like China and expand economic activity to mining, while enabling

Cambodia to escape the resource curse. H.E. MP Quentin Davis of the United Kingdom raised the

issue of Cambodia’s lack of an anti-corruption law and questioned the commissioners directly on

whether or not they will create such law and sign on to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

H.E. Than Sina, Chairman on Economy, Planning, Investment, Agriculture, Rural Development,

Environment and Water Resources responded that the government has developed civil and criminal

procedure codes with the help of France and Japan and are working towards a law on corruption. After

the discovery of significant oil resources and the prospect of extracting first oil in 2009, there has been

a workshop on EITI and three laws were established on the management of oil, the taxation of oil

companies and the management of proceeds from the oil business, respectively. H.E. Than Sina

assured delegates that the government will have an anti-corruption law in the future and reported that

the government has established the Cambodian Petroleum Authority and is preparing 200 hectares of

land for companies that want to explore oil. In addition, there have been significant gold resources

found. In addition, H.E. Than Sina said Cambodian development will be based on a clean and good

society based on good governance. 28,8% of the government budget went to agriculture in 2008, while

the IMF wrote off USD 82 million in debt. The government is determined to dedicate significant

resources to agriculture, the diversification of crops and the building of irrigation systems. Furthermore,

the government is dedicated to keep impenetrable forests in Cambodia and has signed on the

convention on biodiversity. A law on biofuels has yet to be developed.

Consultations with leaders of the opposition

During the visit, parliamentarians met several times with leaders of the opposition and listened to their

views and concerns regarding economic and political development in Cambodia. Opposition leaders

stressed the following:

Urban and rural areas are facing great difficulties. Most importantly, prices for energy and

fertilizer have been rising rapidly and are higher in neighboring countries. As a result, especially

Cambodian agricultural products are not competitive with those of neighboring countries.

Corruption has led to an increase in prices and remains a key issue, as low salaries for public

servants and teachers (USD 30 a month) prevent an effective fight against corruption

While the King and opposition leaders have disclosed their private assets, other government

officials refuse to do so. A law on corruption will not pass.

Most of the proceeds from tourism in Angkor Wat are going to foreign companies in Thailand

and Vietnam.

Cambodia urgently needs a law against corruption and needs to implement the rule of law in

order to attract investments.

The government urgently needs to take steps to stop illegal logging and address the issue of

land grabbing.

Consultations with donors and the private sector

Delegates discussed Cambodia’s development issues with a large number of donors and

representatives from UN agencies, such as UNDP and the FAO and met with a group of


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representatives from the private sector and the International Finance Cooperation to discuss economic

and political issues. Development partners in Cambodia reported that Cambodia has made progress in

donor coordination and the Paris Declaration agenda of harmonization and alignment.

Main findings & recommendations

Through the field visit program to Cambodia, parliamentarians were able to get an in depth look into the

the state of development in Cambodia and the work of the World Bank and the CGIAR in the fields of

innovative agricultural research and development, education, public health, governance and the water

sector. Through a series of extensive consultations and discussions including senior government

officials, donors, civil society, leaders of the opposition and the private sector, delegates had the unique

opportunity to discuss the development process in Cambodia and raise all important issues of concern

with all key stakeholders. As a result of the field visit, delegates made the following comments and

recommendations:

On agricultural and development

Recommendation # 1: Strengthen knowledge and technology transfer from agricultural research to local farmers.

MPs were generally impressed by the projects in innovative agricultural research, such as the

development of cassava for pig feeding. However, several MPs pointed to an apparent gap

between the results of research and the dissemination and application of findings among local

farmers.

Parliamentarians, among them Hon. MP Fin-Martin Vallersnes of Norway, noted that it is often

unclear how many of the innovative developments in the field of agriculture are transferred to

local farmers to have a direct and visible positive impact on their livelihoods.

Recommendation # 2: Create economic incentives through a pricing mechanism that promotes effective water usage in irrigation projects.

Delegates, first and foremost Hon. MP Quentin Davis from the United Kingdom noted the need

to create economic incentives for farmers to use the scarce water resources more effectively in

irrigation projects by local farmers, helping them to increase yields.

Charging water in irrigation schemes per hectar of irrigated land will not promote efficient use of

water resource.

Recommendation # 3: Assist farmers in adopting a strategic approach to products and markets.


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Parliamentarians noted the apparent lack of collective organisation among rural farmers. As a

result, effective lobbying for the interests of farmers at the political level does not occur. In

addition, farmers are missing out on the chance to organise collectively to achieve higher prices

for their products on local as well as international markets. Therefore, farmers should be

supported in organising collectively in order to represent their interests effectively at the local

and national level. MP Miguel Ginestal of Portugal remarked: “We did not see enough efforts to

transform producers. Farmers need to adopt a strategic approach to their products to market

them at a better price. Producers should be organised in order to be better prepared for

competition in the market.”

In addition, rural farmers should be enabled to diversify their crops, as Ramon Salas, Member of

the Mexican Parliament and Secretary of the Agrarian Reform Committee.

On corruption, democracy, and the effective use of natural resources and other issues:

Recommendation # 4: Establish a federal law that makes corruption a criminal offence.

Parliamentarians repeatedly stressed the need for Cambodia to tackle its massive corruption

problems. An important step should be the establishment of a federal law that makes corruption

a criminal offence- an international legal standard, to which the Cambodian penal code yet has

to catch up to.

MPs pointed to the potentially negative economic impact that widespread corruption can have

on the future economic development of Cambodia. As MP Quentin Davies pointed out: “It is an

absolute anomaly that corruption is not a criminal offence in Cambodia. This can only become

an increasing obstacle to foreign direct investment, domestic capital formation and the

emergence of an entrepreneurial economy.”

Recommendation # 5: Sign up to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative as soon as possible

Cambodia has made potentially significant discoveries of hydrocarbons, but also of other natural

resources in the mining sector. Currently, international companies are engaged in the bidding

process and the negotiation of production sharing agreements.

In order to ensure transparent and efficient use of Cambodia’s natural resources, MPs felt that it

seems essential that Cambodia should sign up to the EITI before rather than after significant

investments in the sector are made.

The international community, many MPs underscored, should encourage Cambodia to use its

natural resources for development.


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Recommendation # 6: Effectively address the issue of land grabbing and step up the issuing of land titles.

The land titling system in Cambodia is not fully functional and most property owners do not have

documentation to prove ownership. Especially among rural peasants and investors wishing to

develop the land, this becomes an increasing source of conflict. During the visit, this concern

was voiced repeatedly by members of Cambodian civil society, rural peasants and opposition

leaders.

MPs stressed that it is essential for Cambodia to increase its efforts in making the land titling

system fully operational to effectively protect individual property and ownership rights.

Recommendation # 7: Increase efforts in fighting deforestation and illegal logging.

Illegal logging remains a massive problem in Cambodia. The Human Development Report

2007/2008 documents that illegal logging of hardwood timbers for export in Cambodia was

responsible for much of the 30% reduction in primary rainforest cover since 2000.

MPs stressed the need to increase efforts in fighting deforestation and illegal logging in order to

avoid dangers of increased flooding, the destruction of Cambodia’s natural habitat and the

negative effects on the global effort to fight climate change.

Recommendation # 8: Build up a genuine climate of democracy

MPs noted the positive steps Cambodia has taken towards more democracy, but also pointed to

a lack of political organisation among several interest groups, most importantly rural peasants.

MPs encouraged the government to continue its path towards more democracy. MP Simon

Epiney stated: “Cambodia needs more democracy and should not be afraid of it.”

Recommendation # 9: Address the growing gap between the rich and the poor

The gap between the rich and the poor in Cambodia is widening rapidly. MPs pointed out the

need for the government and the international donor community to address these issues.


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Impact of the visit: Changing debates, sharing experiences and building new networks

MPs reported that the field visit program provided them with an extraordinary opportunity to witness on

the ground the development efforts in Cambodia and to discuss major issues of concern with all key

stakeholders of the development process. Furthermore, MPs said it was specifically important for them

to get an insight into the work of the World Bank and the CGIAR. Delegates reported that their

experiences and findings will have a significant impact on the debate on development issues and the

allocation of budgets in their national parliaments. In addition, many were able to share experiences

and best practices from their home countries with key development partners in Cambodia, build new

networks and develop new ideas for their home countries.

Focus on: MP John Deasy, recently appointed Deputy Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs with Special Responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Chairman of the Development Aid Subcommittee.

“We have begun to fund Cambodia over the last year. We have a growing aid budget. We concentrate

most of our work in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the last year, we have gotten involved with the World

Bank funding in the Mekong Private Sector Development Facility. There are a lot of Irish NGO’s in

Cambodia in de-mining, labour issues and women’s rights. My job effectively is to see if we can add

any value to Cambodia by means of extra funding or whether other expertise could be used in that

area. I have gone on delegations before where you spent four days in office blocs where you just met

government officials, effectively talking to people about things that seem quite abstract, when you are

sitting in a chair in an air-conditioned office. So from the standpoint of going out and meeting rice

farmers and seeing irrigation projects, it has been worthwhile. I think the value of this is considerable

because it gives you in a short space in time a very good feel for what is occurring in the country. I

would not have any hesitation of increasing the cooperation that exists between Ireland and the World

Bank.”

MP John Deasy from Ireland engaged in a lively discussion with local youth at the KYSD project.


27

Focus on: MP Ruqia Nayel, Member of the Afghan Parliament and Member of the Agricultural Commission

“It is very useful and beneficial for me. With the experience I have gained in this country, I will go back

to parliament and also report to the agricultural committee about agricultural innovation and

development in this country, the work of the World Bank and the CGIAR. I will report about my

experiences in Cambodia when the committee invites our minister of agriculture and also pass on my

experience from this country to the minister to change our lives in agriculture in Afghanistan”.

Focus on: MP Gbenga Makanjuola, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and sub-committee chairman on natural resources appropriation committee from Nigeria

“With the impressions, the information and knowledge that I have acquired in the last five days here in

Cambodia, especially affecting the relationship with rural dwellers, when I get back to Nigeria, I want to

see how I can intensify efforts so that there is a stronger relationship between rural dwellers and

parliamentarians. I can share my experiences with Cambodian government officials on anti-corruption

legislation. Where there is corruption there can never be progress in development. This is the first time

as an MP that I have the opportunity of monitoring the World Bank’s projects at the grass roots at the

rural areas because before now, we just read it in the newspapers”

MP Gbenga Makanjuola inquiring about government programs to fight HIV/AIDS at Rokar Koh Health Center in Kampong Speu.

Report written by Daniel J. Kroos


ANNEXE I.- LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

November 11-16, 2007

Members of Parliament_(14) Afghanistan Hon. Rugia Nayel, Member of Parliament, Member of the Gender Committee

DRC Congo Hon. Serge Amuri, Member of Parliament France Hon. Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam, Member of Parliament, Member of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee Hon. Jean Luc Reitzer, Member of Parliament, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee

Ireland Hon. John Deasy, Member of Parliament, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Mexico Hon. Ramon Salas, Member of Parliament, Secretary of the Agrarian Reform Committee

Nigeria Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola, Member of Parliament, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture Norway Hon. Finn Martin Villarsnes, Member of Parliament, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee

Portugal Hon. Miguel Ginestal, Member of Parliament, Chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs, Innovation and Regional Development, sub Commission for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishing Rwanda Hon. Anastase Nzirasanabo, Member of Parliament, Member of the Senate Committee of Economics and Finance Switzerland Hon. Simon Epiney, Member of Parliament, Member of the Finance Committee and Committee on Environment and Energy


1

Thailand Hon.Tuan Untachai, Member of Parliament United Kingdom Hon Quentin Davies, Member of Parliament, Member of the International Development Committee of the House of Commons

Other participants

Nisha Agrawal, Country Manager for Cambodia, World Bank Jean-Christophe Bas, Manager, Parliamentary Relations, World Bank Nayé Bathily, Parliamentary Relations, World Bank Saroeun Bou, Communication, World Bank, Cambodia Mia Hyun, Poverty Specialist, World Bank, Cambodia Amara Kiev, World Bank, Cambodia Florencia Tateossian, Communication, CGIAR Teemour Diop, Film Director Daniel Kroos, Rapporteur for the visit


2

ANNEXE II.- PROGRAM FOR THE FIELD VISIT

November 11 -16, 2007

Time Activity Venue CGIAR5 & WB participation

Sunday November 11, 2007 (in Siem Reap Province)

-- Check into Victoria Angkor Resort Hotel Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa Hotel

4:30 _ 7:00 p.m.

Opening session- General Briefing During this session delegates will get acquainted with the goal of the visit as well as its expected results and achievements. Welcome and Overview of PNoWB, World Bank Program, CARDI, CGIAR work in Cambodia (CIAT

6, IRRI

7, IWMI

8, WorldFish).

Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa Hotel

Dr. Sarom CARDI, Blake Ratner, (WorldFish-IWMI) Tin Maun Aye (CIAT) Arjun Goswami (ADB) Nisha Agrawal (WB) Jean-Christophe Bas (WB) Quentin Davies (Delegation leader)

7:00- 9:00 p.m.

Opening dinner w, co-hosted by the CGIAR, PNoWB

9 and World Bank.

Grand Hotel d’Angkor (Apsara Terrace)

Dr Sarom CARDI Blake Ratner, (WorldFish-IWMI) Tin Maun Aye (CIAT) Nisha Agrawal, WB Team.

Monday November 12, 2007

7:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Travel from Victoria Hotel to Daun Peng Commune by a bus with microphone (30-seat bus)

1. Preap Visarto, CARDI 2. Mr. Teav Pochun, Dir. Srp. PDA Authority Official (Head of District) 3. Ms. Lam Sony, CD Facilitator (Plan International) in SRP

9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Visit IRRI PROVIDE (Poverty-Reduction Options Validated In Drought Environments) site.

Daun Peng Commune, Angkor Chum District, Siem Reap Province.

1. Dr. Preap Visarto 2. Mr. Teav Pochum 3. Ms. Lam Sony

11:00 _ 11:30 a.m.

Travel to SRP City for lunch Dr. Preap Visarto, CARDI Mr. Teav Pochum, Dir Srp PDA Authority Official (Head of District)

12:00 _ 1:00 p.m.

Lunch Srah Srong Restaurant near Angkor Thom

Arranged by Mr. Preap Visarto and Mr. Teav Pochum

1:00 _ 1:30 p.m.

Return/Travel to Siem Reap City

1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Rice Mill visit Siemp Reap city Mr. Teav Pochum, Dir Srp PDA Authority Official (Head of District)

5 CGIAR - Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research

6 CIAT - International Center for Tropical Agriculture

7 IRRI - International Rice Research Institute

8 IWMI - International Water Management Institute

9 PNoWB- Parliamentary Network on the World Bank


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2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Collect luggage from Victoria Hotel and depart for Siem Reap Airport

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Travel to Siem Reap Airport and depart for PP by flight: FT995, 4:35 - 5:25 p.m.

5:25 p.m.-

Arrive in PP by flight: FT995. The NA Officials will receive the delegation at the VIP Arrival Exit.

6:30 p.m.

Check into Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Phnom Penh

Tuesday November 13, 2007

7:00 – 8:30 a.m.

Travel from Raffles Hotel Le Royal to Kampong Speu

8:30 a.m-11:00 a.m.

IWMI site in Kampong Speu: O’Trang irrigation system

Kampong Speu L.R. Perera (IWMI)

12:00 _ 1:30 p.m.

Lunch

1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Visit CelAgrid to see some of CIAT’s activities - use of cassava for pig feeding

Prah Theat Village, Kandal Steung District, Kandal Province

Reinhardt Howeler (CIAT) Dr. Kyieu Borin is the Director of CelAgrid.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Outline of CIAT activities at CARDI and in other provinces. Presentation (45min) during coffee and then 20 to 30 min field visit

CARDI Station N. Road 3, PP.

Reinhardt Howeler (CIAT) Ung Sopheap (CARDI)

4:00 _ 5:00 p.m.

Visit Research facilities and Wrap-up discussion on CGIAR sites visited and other projects in Cambodia

CARDI facilities Dr. Sarom, CARDI Reinhardt Howeler (CIAT) L.R. Perera (IWMI) Blake Ratner, (WorldFish-IWMI) Dr. Preap Visarto, CARDI

5:00 _ 5:30 p.m.

Travel from CARDI Station to Raffles Hotel Le Royal

6:40 p.m.

Pick up from Raffles Hotel Le Royal to Himawari Hotel by Bus.

7:00 _ 9:00 p.m.

Dinner with Ambassadors and 20 Donors

Himawari Hotel (Open Terrace)

Wednesday November 14, 2007

7:00 _ 8:30 a.m.

- Pick up from Raffles Hotel Le Royal and Travel to Kampong Speu Province by bus.

- Briefing by Nisha Agrawal, World Bank

Country Manager, Cambodia and Staff of World Bank-financed project during the bus ride.

Nisha, Saroeun, Simeth, Toomas, Nareth, Mudita


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8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Field Visit to Kampong Speu Province: Health (Health Center)

Rokar Koh Commune, Kong Pisei District, Kampong Speu.

WB team: Nisha, Saroeun, Toomas, Nareth,

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Decentralization & Deconcentration (Communce Councils and RILGP

10)

Rokar Koh Commune, Kong Pisei District, Kampong Speu

WB team: Nisha, Saroeun, Mudita

10:30 – 12:00 noon

Travel from Kampong Speu to Phnom Penh by bus.

12:00 – 1:45 p.m.

Working lunch with World Bank staff WB office (MR1) All WB staff & few IFC staff.

1:45 – 2:00 p.m.

Travel from the WB office to the National Assembly (NA) by vans/mini-buses.

2:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Courtesy meeting with Samdech Akkak Maha Ponheachakrey Heng Samrin, President of National Assembly.

NA

2:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Meeting with Heads of the 9 Special Commissions to the NA

NA

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Visit Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum Tuol Sleng Saroeun

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Dinner with Royal Government of Cambodia - hosted by the World Bank. Participants: H.E. Keat Chhon, H.E. Dr. Aun Porn Moniroth, and other RGC Officials

Raffles Hotel Le Royal at Main Dinning Room (5 round table of 8 pts).

Thursday November 15, 2007

7:45 _ 8:00 a.m.

Travel from the hotel to the Senate by vans/minibuses.

8:00 – 8:45 a.m.

Courtesy meeting with Samdech Akkak Maha Dhampothisal Chea Sim, Head of the Senate

Senate

9:00 – 10:45 a.m.

Palace Visit Royal Palace

12:15 – 2:00 p.m.

Working lunch with NGOs/Youth Star Volunteers. Please find attached the list of invitees.

Hagar Restaurant

2:00 _ 3:00 p.m.

Travel from Hagar Restaurant to Prek Tauch Secondary School, Neak Loeung, Kandal Province

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RILGP - Rural Investment and Local Governance Project-financed by the World Bank.


5

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Visit Prek Tauch Secondary school supported by Education project.

Neak Loeung, Kandal Province

4:00 _ 4:15 p.m.

Travel from school to Hun Sen Kg. Phnom Secondary School, Neak Loeung, Kandal Province.


4:15 – 5:00 p.m.

Visit the school supported by KYSD --Khmer Youth and Social Development Organization (Gender, Youth and Education), which has been financed by Small Grant.


5:00 – 5:45 p.m.

Travel from Neak Loeung to Raffles Hotel Le Royal

6:45 – 7:00 p.m.

Travel from the hotel to Malis Restaurant

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Dinner with Private Sector Group Malis Restaurant

Nisha, Stephane, Huot and James, tbc.

Friday November 16, 2007

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Pick up from the hotel and travel to Chroy Changvar, Phnom Penh by bus.

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Visit Phnom Penh Water Utility Project in Chroy Changvar, Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

9:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Travel from Chroy Changvar to Samaki Community by bus and visit beneficiaries (poor community) of PP Water Utility Project in Russeikeo District

Phnom Penh

11:00 –12:30 noon.

Visit Digital Divide Data (DDD) Grassroots Project This is IFC investment in a social enterprise.

Phnom Penh

12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

Working lunch with PNoWB Cambodia members

WB Office (MR1)

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Debriefing of the delegation WB Office (MR1)

5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Press Conference Raffles Hotel Le Royal (Empress Room)

6:40 p.m.

Depart from Raffles Hotel Le Royal to PP airport (some of the delegation members)

Saturday November 17, 2007

Depart from Raffles Hotel Le Royal to PP airport (some of the delegation members) and departing from the airport by different flights.


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ANNEX III.- PARLIAMENTARIANS IN THE FIELD

VISIT PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THE PRSP (*)

Since 2001, the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and the Bank’s

External Affairs Vice-Presidency has organized field visits for MPs to

visit development projects in more than 15 different countries. Over 150

parliamentarians from 100 countries have participated in the visits. The

“Parliamentarians in the Field” program is made possible by funding from

the Finnish government. A key objective of the field visit program is to

offer participating MPs an up-close look at the Poverty Reduction Strategy

process.

During the field visits, visiting parliamentarians meet with members of

government, local MPs, staff from the World Bank and other donor

agencies, as well as civil society representatives to review the

participatory process that led to the design and implementation of the

PRSP in the country. The opportunity to share experiences benefits both

the visiting delegation and the hosts. Visits to project sites help put the

deliberative process into perspective and reminds MPs of the important

role they play in development policymaking.

(*) Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP)


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ANNEXE IV.- PNoWB BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Strengthening accountability and transparency in

international financial institutions and advocating

for development

The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank, founded by a group of parliamentarians and the World Bank in 2000, has strengthened transparency and accountability in international financial institutions. PNoWB has introduced new checks and balances by involving parliamentarians across the world. Additionally, PNoWB members are leading advocates for development who have strengthened the voice of the poor in the debate. PNoWB is now an independent association of over 1000 parliamentarians from 110 countries, and has as of January 2006, functioned completely independently from the World Bank. Thus far the network has made considerable progress most notably with regard to mobilizing parliamentarians. In particular at the 2007 PNoWB Annual Conference which was addressed by World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, IMF Managing Director, Rodrigo De Rato, the President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka, the Minister of Finance of South Africa, Trevor A. Manuel, as well as other high level representatives from multilaterals, civil society and governments. Most importantly, the conference brought together over 200 parliamentarians from both developed and developing countries, to discuss development priorities and what they as PNoWB members could do to ensure delivery on development results ahead of the G8, the G20 and the World Bank’s IDA 15

th Replenishment Round.

Strengthening Accountability and Transparency From its inception, PNoWB's elected officials sought to regain parliamentary authority over development and global matters. An effective way to do so, they calculated, was to engage the World Bank, the world's single largest external funder of development programs as well as an important source of knowledge and advice on how to tackle global issues such as international trade, HIV/AIDS and climate change. The parliamentarians also shared one common goal with the World Bank: to strengthen the accountability and transparency of the Bank. PNoWB's mission follows five guiding principles: 1. Accountability: to facilitate and encourage direct dialogue between parliamentarians and multilateral

development institutions in order to promote greater transparency of the policies and practices in particular of the World Bank;

2. Advocacy: to provide PNoWB members with a platform for coordinated parliamentary advocacy on international development issues;

3. Networking: to encourage concerted action, early debate and exchange of information among parliamentarians on international development and global issues;

4. Partnerships: to take initiatives to further cooperate and encourage partnerships among parliamentarians and policy makers, the academic community, the business sector and non-governmental organizations on development issues;

5. Progress Review: to promote the development of parliamentary mechanisms and practices for the effective democratic control of development assistance in all its phases.

In the last seven years, PNoWB has managed to establish a respected track-record for being an effective global network at the vanguard of parliamentary engagement and development advocacy. Improving accountability in international financial institutions PNoWB is a unique parliamentary platform for policy dialogue on development issues. It engages not only the World Bank but also other multilateral and bilateral donor organizations. The IMF Managing Director, the WTO Director General, and several EU Commissioners have participated in PNoWB's annual conferences and have established working relationships with PNoWB. The Network has formed effective partnerships with other parliamentary organizations and with civil society groups.


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Working with PNoWB, the Bank has taken steps to become more open to parliamentarians through a Question and Answer system for parliamentarians where they can ask questions directly to the World Bank; through a field visit program coordinated by an independent rapporteur, parliamentarians visit Bank projects, meet with local Bank staff, civil society representatives and government officials, and review the PRSP process; through a policy dialogue program jointly run by PNoWB and the World Bank, using video links to connect parliamentarians from around the world to exchange views on relevant development issues; as well as the Parliamentarian's Guide to the World Bank, to make it easier for MPs to access information about projects and policies, also through the PNoWB website, www.pnowb.org; and a World Bank website for parliamentarians: www.worldbank.org/parliamentarians. Additionally a delegation of PNoWB members attends the IMF/World Bank Spring and Annual Meetings. Parliamentary engagement and country ownership If parliamentarians are going to have an impact on development policies and projects, it is essential that they see results on the ground. The field visit program, “Parliamentarians in the Field", is co-organized by PNoWB and the World Bank and supported by a grant from the Government of Finland. To date, successful field visits have taken place to Kenya, Albania, Uganda, Burundi, Serbia and Montenegro, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Ghana, Rwanda, Lao PDR, Kenya, Mozambique, Haiti, Cambodia and Niger. . As one legislator once observed, “all politics is local.” The most concrete interaction between parliamentarians and representatives from the World Bank and other donor organizations takes place in countries with Bank lending or advisory programs. Since 2000, PNoWB has expanded through the creation of a national chapter in India, a chapter in East Africa, a chapter in Japan, a chapter in the Middle East and North Africa, a chapter in West Africa, launched in June 2006 and a Balkans Chapter launched in September 2006, as well as a Southern Africa chapter for which preliminary steps were taken at the Cape Town Annual Conference in March 2007. Also an informal group of donor country parliamentarians was established in Naples, Italy in February 2005. The national and regional chapters facilitate regular interaction between local parliamentarians and staff in World Bank country offices, including consultations on Country Assistance Strategies, Public Expenditure Reviews, and on World Bank policies and individual projects. In developing countries, this level of engagement, as well as the field visits program, has proved invaluable in improving country ownership and involvement in the poverty reduction process. Advocating for Development PNoWB recognizes that parliamentarians play a vital role in making sure countries meet the obligations agreed to in international fora. Parliamentarians approve budgets; they hold the final power of ratification and are the final arbiters of economic policies in their countries. As democratically elected representatives, they have tremendous potential in the oversight of progress on ODA commitments. The executive branch has the power to make promises, but parliamentarians have the power to ensure those promises are kept. The network continues to encourage members to keep governments and multilateral organizations to account on development pledges made at Gleneagles, including through annual 'G8 Implementation Watch Sessions' in individual parliaments. For example, on May 25, 2005, PNoWB Board member US Representative Betty McCollum introduced a non-binding resolution (H.Con.Res 172) articulating Congress support for the MDGs. The resolution calls for increased US leadership in aiding the international community to achieve these goals. The network has also set up a pioneering Parliamentarians' Implementation Watch (PIW) to keep governments and multilateral organizations to account on their development-related pledges. Implementation Watch seeks to achieve four tasks: 1) produce and disseminate regular updates for parliamentarians on selected issues; 2) connect parliamentarians with other parliamentary networks, civil society organizations, multilateral organizations, the private sector and the media; 3) identify appropriate parliamentary action to support the MDGs; 4) build a knowledge base and boost parliamentary capacity. PNoWB Communication Tools

• PNoWB's Website: www.pnowb.org • PNoWB members receive regular e-mail updates about the activities of the Network and the World Bank. • PNoWB activities have been covered by international media, including the London Observer, Le Monde,

Le Figaro, Liberation, Deutsche Weld radio and in the local press and television in Yemen, Serbia and Montenegro, India, Bangladesh, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia Rwanda and Lao PDR.


9

Looking Ahead A new era of PNoWB parliamentarians in championing development The following strategic priorities have been identified by the PNoWB Board to consolidate and expand PNoWB's activities over the next three years: • Ensure the systematic early involvement of parliaments in Country Assistance Strategies (CAS) and Poverty

Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP); • Ensure that the PNoWB has early input into World Bank policy; • Secure an observer position on the World Bank/IMF Development Committee, with speaking rights for the

PNoWB's chairperson; • Develop a resource guide on best practices for parliamentary involvement in World Bank activities; • Increase the number of fully functional PNoWB regional and national chapters. The achievement of these goals is expected to reinforce the capacity of parliamentarians to fulfill their oversight, legislative and representative functions related to development and global issues, ultimately on the one hand making multilateral institutions and governance mechanisms more accountable and transparent, and on the other ensuring that there is enough political and public will to support commitments to allow poor countries to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

Judging by testimonials from parliamentary bodies, media, civil society and academia, PNoWB has become a respected player in the international community. Some examples: Said the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in a June 2005 report and resolution on the World Bank and the IMF: “The role of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank, a discussion forum for parliamentary groups worldwide in which the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe actively participates, deserves further strengthening and is fully in line with the Parliamentary Assembly's quest for increased parliamentary involvement in international institutions." PNoWB was seen as "a vital and innovative tool to realize the Millennium Development Goals." The Observer reported on the fourth annual PNoWB conference in March 2003. “Hopes of a genuine democratization of global governance were beginning to emerge here,” said the London newspaper, adding that PNoWB might just be “the green shoots of global democracy.” In its September 2003 report 'Struggling to be heard: Democratising the World Bank and the IMF', British NGO Christian Aid observed: “Together with the Inspection Panel, PNoWB is a major effort to improve transparency and accountability in the World Bank.” Academics Devesh Kapur (Harvard University) and Moises Naim (Foreign Policy magazine) in a January 2005 Journal of Democracy article on the 'The IMF and Democratic Governance' suggest that "one option [to improve the IMF's democratic governance] might be to involve the Fund more with PNoWB, a group whose goal is to bring legislators into more contact with officials of the Bretton Woods institutions.”

The PNoWB Board and Governance Structure The PNoWB is governed by a Board of Directors, composed of nine members. The Association's by-laws require a yearly partial renewal of the Board members. The current members of the Board are: Ms. Betty McCollum, Chair, United States Ms. Monica Frassoni, Vice Chair, Italy (Member of European Parliament) Mr. Yunus Carrim, Vice Chair, South Africa Mr. Santiago Castro, Colombia Mr. Kimmo Kiljunen, Finland Mr. Suresh Prabhu, India Mr. Hideki Wakabayashi, Japan Ms. Janette Garin, Philippines


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ANNEX V.- THE WORLD BANK AND PARLIAMENTS AT A GLANCE:

• Parliamentarians are advocates for development, in countries providing development assistance. They debate and approve foreign aid budgets, shape and review development policies, and promote coherence across policy areas.

• Well-functioning parliaments promote development and the rule of law. Engaging elected representatives on development issues and strengthening the capacity of parliamentary institutions are important objectives of the World Bank.

• In developing countries, parliamentarians can be agents of change. They represent their constituents’ needs and views, and can contribute to designing and overseeing implementation of World Bank-financed projects. Legislators can champion social and economic reforms, speak out on HIV/AIDS, or take on corruption. In many countries, Bank projects are subject to parliamentary approval directly through ratification or indirectly through budget approval. In some cases, parliamentarians create, debate and pass new legislation linked to World Bank-supported reform programs.

• In a progressively borderless world, parliamentarians exercising their oversight role are paying more attention to matters handled by multilateral organizations. The World Bank is the world’s single largest external funder of development programs as well as an important source of knowledge and advice on how to tackle global issues such as international trade, poverty, HIV/AIDS, corruption, and climate change.

A Growing Relationship The World Bank is owned and governed by 184 countries. In 1944, the representatives from the Bank’s founding countries specified that the organization was to deal with its member states through their finance and development ministries only, and to concern itself it with economic matters only. “ The Bank and its officers shall not interfere in the political affairs of any member,” says one section of the Articles of Agreement, the international treaty that established the World Bank. However, in a recent survey led by the External Affairs Vice Presidency, The World Bank Executive Directors representing the institutions 184 member countries have stressed the importance of engaging parliamentarians. The organization’s relations with parliamentarians have expanded in recent years, in step with global changes. First, the world has seen an explosion in the number of electoral democracies, from 66 in 1987 to 121 in 2003 (according to Freedom House). The growth of civil society is equally spectacular; companies, grass-root organizations, campaign groups, trade unions, elected officials and academics have joined governments on the international stage as agenda setters and decision makers. This is the second big transformation. The third trend relates to how development assistance is carried out. Experience has shown that policies and projects to reduce poverty are most effective when priorities are set by countries receiving the aid—based on broad consultations—rather than by donors. The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank has opened up space for dialogue. The Bank’s global primary parliamentary interlocutor is the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB), an independent association of some 1000 members of parliament from 110 countries. Established in 2000 and governed by a nine-member board of parliamentarians headed by US Congresswoman Betty Mc Collum; PNoWB mobilizes parliamentarians in the fight against global poverty, promotes transparency and accountability in international development, and offers a platform for policy dialogue between the Bank and parliamentarians. PNoWB’s activities are supported, or have been supported, by governments (France, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Africa) and the World Bank, the United Nations, the IMF, the Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank. PNoWB seeks to be an action-oriented network of parliamentarians. Its flagship event, the PNoWB Annual Conference, has brought parliamentarians together with the leaders of the World Bank, the IMF, the WTO, and the African Development Bank and with heads of states such as Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, but also high profile Ministers such as G20 Chair Trevor Manuel of South Africa.


11

PNoWB engages the Bank’s country offices through local or regional chapters, with active groups to date in India, Japan, East Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, West Africa, South East Europe. PNoWB and the World Bank also organize field visits to developing countries to review the Poverty Reduction Strategy process, consulting with a range of stakeholders, from Bank staff to civil society representatives to ministers and heads of state. PNoWB has a working group on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria to promote legislation to stem the epidemics, and another group on international trade to advance a pro-poor outcome of ongoing WTO negotiations. For details about PNoWB activities, see http://www.pnowb.org/ The World Bank welcomes the increasing role of parliamentarians in development. Addressing the PNoWB Annual Conference, Former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz made the following remarks: “The World Bank is working on forging stronger partnerships with Parliaments around the World, because their oversight role has an important bearing on the mission to fight poverty… The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank is a respected player in the development community… The Mission of the PNoWB, your mission of strengthening parliamentary voice on development and global issues is becoming more important and relevant” Well-functioning Parliaments are critical to enhance the legal and institutional framework that provided justice. They’re essential to oversight of the Executive Branch to ensure transparency and accountability and the effective use of public resources. And they are essential to give voice to all segments of the population. Working Together with Parliamentary Organizations Recent years have seen a surge in inter-parliamentary activities as a growing number of legislators seek to address global challenges. The World Bank has relations with several parliamentary organizations, networks and assemblies. On June 2005, the World Bank brought together parliamentarians and secretariat heads from 25 parliamentary organizations and assemblies (representing thousands of parliamentarians worldwide) with representatives from 10 think tanks and foundations, and 17 bilateral agencies and multilateral organizations in Vienna. Participants agreed to create an informal alliance of parliamentarians for development to promote and coordinate action. World Bank experts regularly contribute to inter-parliamentary initiatives on international trade, education, corruption, HIV/AIDS, and population and development issues. The Bank also invites parliamentarians representing inter-parliamentary organizations as observers to the World Bank/IMF Spring or Annual Meetings. Separately, the World Bank Institute, the Bank’s knowledge-sharing arm, works in partnership with parliamentary organizations to develop the capacity of parliaments in developing countries. WBI’s work is guided by an External Advisory Council comprising parliamentarians from developing countries, representatives from inter-parliamentary associations and experts on parliamentary development. Policy Dialogue in Countries Supported by the World Bank A legislator once observed that “all politics is local.” Perhaps the most concrete interaction takes place between parliamentarians and World Bank staff in countries with World Bank lending or advisory programs. In a recent survey of staff, 85 percent of the respondents (representing 60 percent of World Bank offices in client countries) reported their staff interacted with parliamentarians either “several times a year”, “monthly” or “weekly.” Interaction ranges from informal meetings with individual parliamentarians to more structured consultations on the World Bank’s projects or three-year business plans, the Country Assistance Strategies. The World Bank also promotes parliamentary involvement in the Poverty Reduction Strategy process. Some examples of recent interactions between parliamentarians and the World Bank: • PNoWB held its Seventh Annual Conference in Cape Town South Africa on 15-17 March 2007. Hosted

by the government and Parliament of South Africa and for the first time in Africa as South Africa chairs the G20, the conference brought together about 200 members of parliament from 96 countries who used the opportunity to engage World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato, African Development Bank President Donald Kaberuka and Trevor Manuel, Finance Minister of South Africa on pressing development and global issues. The agenda for the conference reflected the key development issues on the international agenda: the call for action on Africa as a development priority; accountability and transparency in International Financial Institutions, Illegitimate debt, the effectiveness of parliamentary strengthening initiatives; Good governance and anti-corruption; Aid effectiveness; tackling the challenge of climate change, transparent management of extractive industry revenues, creating a business climate conducive to growth, health and development, importance of agriculture in achieving growth).


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• Parliamentarians championing IDA: Two recent field visits to IDA countries, Mozambique (July 2007) and Haiti (September 2007) have respectively taken delegation of ten or more parliamentarians (from both donor and recipient countries) to showcase the impressive benefits of IDA and assess the Bank’s poverty reduction efforts in those countries. Both visits were hosted by WB country offices and the local parliaments. During these visits, MPs visited Bank supported projects and met with government officials and civil society representatives. In the reports, the delegates will provide recommendations both to the Bank and to the governments of Mozambique and Haiti for strengthening their poverty reduction efforts. Meeting of the 27 Chairs of Parliaments’ Foreign Affairs and Development Committees of the European Union (Portugal, October 2007); this is a very influential bi annual parliamentary gathering, attended by the chairs of Foreign Affairs and Development Committees from the 27 EU member States. Portugal, who is currently holding the EU presidency, hosted this year’s edition. World Bank Country Director Madani M.Tall pleaded the case for a successful IDA replenishment before this key audience. Meeting of High level Parliamentarians from Donor Countries ( Washington DC, October 20-22, 2007). At the occasion of the 2007 Annual Meetings, PNoWB and EXT are bringing a delegation of high level parliamentarians in Washington DC to engage with senior leadership of the World Bank, another opportunity to strengthen parliamentary contribution to IDA15 replenishment efforts • Accountability: PNoWB has recently alerted the Bank on cases of corruption on WB supported projects in

Cambodia. The Network has also taken action in the disputes between the WB and the Government of Chad over the management of oil revenues. A briefing with the WB team and PNoWB members in 5 countries was held on September 2006.

• The new demand for institutional support has in some cases led governments to seek World Bank financial

support for parliaments, either directly through small grants, or as part of larger loans. Examples of past financial support include an IDF(Institutional Development Fund) grant to Chad for parliamentary capacity building to help the parliament better fulfill its mandate in the area of public economic and financial management, and communication with the electorate. Other examples include El Salvador and Guatemala which received IDF grants for the strengthening of their respective congresses through technical assistance, study tours, and implementation of the Global Legal Information Network (GLIN) system.

Strengthening the Way Parliaments Work The World Bank supports parliamentary development through capacity-building workshops as well as loans and grants. Over the past ten years, the World Bank Institute has trained more than 5,000 parliamentarians and parliamentary staff. WBI’s Parliamentary Strengthening Program aims to enhance parliaments’ capacity to effectively fulfill their responsibilities. The objectives are: to strengthen the capacity of parliaments to oversee the allocation and use of public funds; to assist parliaments in better representing the interests of the poor in the policy process; to support parliamentary learning networks on key policy issues related to development; and to support and facilitate research on the role of parliaments. In addition, World Bank projects fund programs to, for example, revamp parliamentary libraries, and install new computers, software and databases aimed at easing the information flow. Ongoing projects with components to strengthen parliamentary capacity include the parliaments of Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Communications Tools

• The World Bank’s website for parliamentarians: Http://www.worldbank.org/parliamentarians/

• Question-and-Answer online system: Parliamentarians can get answers to questions related to the World Bank’s policies and projects through the Bank’s website for parliamentarians.

• A Parliamentarian’s Guide to the World Bank: PNoWB and the World Bank have jointly developed a

handbook to provide an overview of the Bank’s governance structure, policies, evaluation and review mechanisms. The guide is available on request or for download on the World Bank Parliamentary website in 4 languages (English, French, Spanish and Arabic).

• EXT is currently developing a guide for World Bank country office staff working with parliamentarians.

- ### -


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Updated October 2007 Contacts: EXT Parliamentary team Jean-Christophe Bas, Manager, +33 1 40 69 30 35, [email protected] Naye Bathily, +33 1 40 69 30 17, [email protected] Marie-Noelle Tixeront, +33 1 40 69 30 36, [email protected] WBI Parliamentary Strengthening Program Frederick Stapenhurst, Sr. Public Sector Management Specialist, +1 202 473 3210, [email protected] Mitchell O'Brien, +1 202 473 09 72, [email protected] Lisa von Trapp, +33 1 40 69 33 73, [email protected] Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB) Zuleikha Salim Said, Coordinator, +33 1 40 69 30 55, [email protected]

Documents

CAMBODIA FIELD VISIT REPORT NEW - World Banksiteresources.worldbank.org/EXTPARLIAMENTARIANS/... · Report on the Parliamentary Field Visit to the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia Table of