Phnom Penh, August 7: Approximately 170 participants attended the 2014 Annual General Meeting (AGM) organized the NGO Forum on Cambodia at the Phnom Penh Ecumenical Diakonia Center (PPEDC). This annual event was conducted in order to bring together all the member/network representatives of the NGOF to meet, share experience and ideas to learn from each other and plan for future activities.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Mot Sana, the Chair of the meeting, thanked the Management Committee and working groups of NGOF for actively working to solve many social issues related to land, forestry, climate change, and the impact of hydropower dams, . All of these issues have effect on the livelihood of the poor in Cambodia. Mr. Mot Sana also updated some of the key successes of NGOF in the past year. Some key achievements included:
- Success in giving recommendations on the Draft Law of Environmental Impacts Assessment (EIA);
- Success in giving recommendations on the draft NSDP 2014-2018 and on monitoring indicators of several sectors;
- Success in solving UDG land conflict in Koh Kong province, Pro Me indigenous people land conflict in Preah Vihear province, Pu Kong in Mondulkiri province, and constructions of LS2 and Don Sahong hydropower dams;
Mr. Mot Sana added that during the transitional period of management of NGOF, the management committee had worked closely with its members to ensure normal operation and to achieve all planned activities. In the same period, NGOF had received more funding than previous year and increased number of members from 89 to 91 with many more being under review.
“This event is a very important opportunity for everyone to meet. It is not only an opportunity to meet and update each other on our working activities, but I consider it’s a chance to strengthen relationships amongst organizations, to come and meet each other to discuss, share concerns and provide feedback to improve our working ,” said Mr. Tek Vannara, Executive Director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia.
A number of activities issues were raised in the meeting such as the update and discussion on the current implementation of social land concession in Cambodia, the presentation on NGOF’s key achievements, , the presentation on the draft Agriculture Land Management and National Strategy Development Plan 2014-2018, and the group discussion on effectiveness advocacy strategy and land rights.
All presetation download here.