India to help Cambodia build human resources

Phnom Penh, Sep 14 (ANI): Visiting President Pratibha Devising Patil today said that human resource development and capacity building are the primary focus of India-Cambodia bilateral cooperation for the last many years.

Earlier in the day, President Patil met Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni at the Silver Pagoda Royal Palace here. King Sihamohi sought India's help in the field of sustainable development, agriculture, water resources and information and technology.Speaking at the State banquet hosted in her honour, President Patil said: "Human resource development and capacity building have been the primary focus of India-Cambodia bilateral cooperation for the last many years.""India is cooperating with Cambodia in infrastructural projects, considered priority projects for the development of Cambodia, under concessional lines of credit. Today, we have signed an additional line of credit of 15 million dollars for the Stung Tassal Water Development Project in Cambodia," she said.

"As both our countries have large agrarian sectors, there is tremendous scope for co-operation in agriculture. Initiatives have also been undertaken to enhance economic engagement between our two countries. We need to encourage private sectors to pro-actively explore trade and investment opportunities," President Patil added.

The agreement was signed between EXIM bank director P. Dalal and Cambodia's Secretary of State in Ministry of Economy and Finance, Aun Porn Monirothe, to extend 15 million dollars credit for the Stung Tassal Water Development project.

Second agreement was signed by Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Rajesh Kr. Sachdeva and the Cambodian National Audit Authority in order to help the later in capacity building.

The agreements were signed to enhance economic engagements between the two countries. An Indian business delegation is also in Cambodia to achieve this objective.

Total trade between India and Cambodia in 2008-09 was 49.61 dollars. Major exports to Cambodia are drugs, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, cotton, staple fibres, rubber articles, precious metals, etc. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)