Information is a Form of Power

First Public Information Sharing by Local World Bank Staff in Cambodia

Battambang and Banteay Meanchay, January 2006 -- At least 150 participants representing provincial authorities, and NGOs and youth based at the provincial level, attended two separate information-sharing events in the northwest provinces – Battambang and Banteay Meanchay – organized by the World Bank Cambodia Country  office.

H. E Heng Chantha, Governor of Banteay Meanchay (center) opens the information-sharing event in his province

Speaking at the two information-sharing events, Beng Simeth told participants that these events were the first organized by the Bank in Cambodia where almost all sectors were participating. “This is an important event for us to bring our information to you and it is also a great opportunity for exchange and sharing information with us,” he said. “We are so happy to learn from you, listen to your thoughts and ideas about development in Cambodia.” 

The idea for these information sharing events stemmed from a recent Country Office retreat, when staff agreed a key priority was to improve outreach to the public, to not only share what the World Bank was doing in Cambodia, but also about Cambodia’s development issues – while hearing from the communities their issues.  

H.E Ouk Vong, Second Deputy Governor of Battambang, opening the meeting in his province, said it was the first time the province had been host to an important information sharing event with a World Bank delegation consisting of local staff. “Information is a form of power,” H.E. Ouk Vong said. “Information can help us to be aware of what is happening in the world, in our country and particularly in our province. Moreover, information can help us to improve our development activities and promote social change that favors the emergence of a more prosperous society. So the new development process demands listening, public awareness and understanding, consensus, partnership and social ownership.

“We see that the new World Bank CAS for 2005–2008 focuses on good governance and helping to implement the Government’s Rectangular Strategy, which provides a sound diagnosis of Cambodia’s development challenges.”

H.E. Heng Chantha, governor of Banteay Meanchay province, said that information is a very important tool for people to use for developing and planning their lives. “We all need information, and information can help all of us to know better and to organize our plan and our lives,” he said.

The World Bank Delegation Made Six Presentations

The presentation on the World Bank in general and the new Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) focused on World Bank activities and the new CAS, where governance was taken as a core to promote private sector development for poverty reduction, improving natural resources management (land and forestry), improving service delivery and public financial management, strengthening local governance and social accountability, supporting the Government for reducing poverty and achieving the Cambodian Millennium Development Goals.

Chamroeun Mudita, Rural Development Officer, presenting the Bank view

Rural Development: The presentation focused on improving institutions and policies for Natural Resource Management, especially on land, and supporting decentralization and promoting citizens’ partnerships for better governance. The presentation also described the main goal of the World Bank to try to help increase agricultural production through enhanced management of natural resources, and to support improvements in the management of Cambodia’s abundant natural resources to better contribute to sustainable rural growth and poverty reduction. The Bank joins with other donors in assisting the Government to strengthen the overall framework for management of land resources, and in ensuring security of tenure. The Bank will also support developing land allocation mechanisms which promote smallholder-based agricultural growth and manage forest areas for the benefit of local communities, state revenues, and biodiversity conservation. 

Bun Vesna, Infrastructure Officer, says clean & affordable energy is an important issue

Procurement: The presentation explained how the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and other donors have assisted the Government to improve project management practices through the use of harmonized standard operation procedures for externally financed projects. The procedures include a financial management manual, procurement manual, and standard bidding documents. A significant step forward for the procurement system was the issuing of Prakas 495, on August 23, 2005 to adopt a standard operation procedure (SOP) for procurement. A consolidated national procurement and bidding documents prepared for externally financed projects are to be adopted shortly. The principal objective of the procurement law is to identify actions that need to be taken to improve the efficiency and transparency of procurement, thus assisting the country to enhance economic growth and reduce poverty.

Human Development focused on education and health. It explained the Bank’s involvement in the two sectors, and discussed challenges and solutions. The Bank supports the Government’s efforts to achieve their education and health CMDGs, and to close the gap between the rich and the poor in having access to basic education, especially for girls, and health services. The Bank supports education quality improvements, national health priorities, and strengthening health systems to use resources effectively. The presentation also described several analyses that have been done – Quality Basic Education for All and Public Expenditure Tracking and Service Delivery Survey in Primary Education – to assist the Ministry of Education. The other two additional works on Public Expenditure Tracking Survey in Health and Teacher and School Director Survey are going to be done in 2006.

Participants at Battambang meeting.

Social Development: The presentation explained how the program is designed in response to the new CAS’s objective to support decentralization and promote citizens' partnership for better governance. Its objectives focus on enhancing the enabling environment for civic engagement and social accountability, empowering communities and civil society groups to participate in local governance and demand accountability for the delivery of services. It also focused on enhancing social cohesion and strengthening both formal and informal mechanisms to dispute resolution, and collaborating with other donors to achieve aid effectiveness. The presentation sought input from participants on governance, social accountability and citizen empowerment.

According to evaluation sheets filled in by participants, the information-sharing events were very important and useful for them to know better the World Bank’s program in Cambodia and also provided basic information to provincial authorities, NGOs and youth to help the government achieve the millennium development goals.

Ros Chovivan, Director of the Village Support Group, one of the participants in Battambang province, said the information sharing is very important to provide basic information to civil society so they can use it to share with the community. “All presentations are so important and useful,” she said. “We would like to suggest to the World Bank organize more of these sorts of events – and have them last for longer.”

For more information about the World Bank and Cambodia, visit our Public Information Center at 113 Norodom Blvd., or visit our website at http://www.worldbank.org/kh.

For more information on any of the press events above, please call: Phnom Penh: Bou Saroeun (855-23) 213-538; or email him at sbou@worldbank.org