Phnom Penh, July 21, 2014: Approximately 200 participants from national and international NGOs and youth pulled together for the National Reflection and Sharing Workshop on ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (APF) 2014 organized by the Cambodian Civil Society Working Group on ASEAN (CCWA) at the Imperial Garden Villa and Hotel.
This workshop was formed with the specific intentions counting the reflection of ACSC/APF and AYF 2014 result, discussing on the key challenges and way forward for CSOs engagement in ASEAN and lastly the consultation on ACSC/APF and Asian Youth Forum (AYF) process as well as CCWA action plans.
“It is very important we can make this event happened. This is a very important meeting that everyone who is involved in this work are able to meet, discuss and learning from each other about the ACSC/APF which we have been working together for so many years. I do hope, it is going to be a very constructive workshop for today and all the participants will be actively involved for the productive outcomes,” Mr. Tek Vannara, Executive Director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia stated during the opening ceremony.
CCWA was created with the necessity purpose to continue the work with ASEAN with fully participation from all ASEAN countries including Cambodia. The group was also formed with an intention to coordinate the efforts of Cambodian Civil Society on national development issues related to ASEAN and to promote relevant policy issues to ASEAN. Working on Cambodia issues which are closely linked with ASEAN, this formal working group, was established in 2013 in consultation amongst the Cambodian Civil Society Organizations. Currently, CCWA has twelve core group members; ADHOC, CHRAC, CVS, CamASEAN, NGOCRC, The NGO Forum, SILAKA, Star Kampuchea, YFP, YRDP, KKKHRDA, WGP and other committed individuals.