By Ek Tha
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 8, 2013 (PRU) – Karen A. Tramontano,
President of the Global Fairness Initiative (GFI), told His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Dr.
Sok An on Tuesday that Cambodia has a very positive investment climate and that
the United States looks to improve bilateral cooperation in the
garment industry for the benefit of Cambodians and the country's growth.
The Global Fairness Initiative (GFI) is a non-profit organization
working to promote a more equitable, sustainable approach to globalization to
ensure its benefits reach all people, including the working poor. Ms.
Tramontano is pleased with Cambodia’s progress in health care sector especially
in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS prevalence among population aged 15-49 has steadily
declined, dropping to 0.8 percent in 2011, versus 2.1 percent in 1998. Success
in controlling the epidemic has been possible thanks to prevention and control
efforts driven by Cambodian health authorities and their partners.
The U.S. looks to increase bilateral cooperation with
Cambodia in investment and trade for mutual benefit, said Ms. Tramontano, who
was an assistant to the former President Bill Clinton.
“You have a very positive investment climate. You have
achieved major gains in health care issue of HIV/AIDS and the U.S. looks to
improve ties in the fields of bilateral economy and investment,” said Ms.
Tramontano, who is currently the CEO and co-founder of Blue Star Strategies which
provides corporate, institutional and public sector clients with
result-oriented strategies.
His Excellency Dr. Sok An said the success stories of
Cambodia thanks to the win-win policy initiated by Samdech Prime Minister Hun
Sen that has brought the two main pillars which are political and
macro-economic stability.
The Royal Government of Cambodia, under the wise leadership
of Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen, had dismantled the political and military
organization of the Khmer Rouge in 1998 followed by mass defections of the rank
and file Khmer Rouge soldiers who to the democratically elected government and
this had largely contributed to peace, stability and sustainable development,
His Excellency Dr. Sok An recalled.
Cambodia has a stable in macro-economy with low inflation,
and registered 7 percent growth last year, and its current GDP per capita is
more than $1000, said the Deputy Prime Minister, adding that Cambodia has been
enjoying a boom in the sectors of construction, tourism, garment exports,
and bountiful crops.
“Garment, tourism and construction are dynamic sectors,” said
the Deputy Prime Minister.
The Deputy Prime Minister said Cambodia has more direct
flights with countries in the region that bring more tourists to the Kingdom of
Wonder. The construction of guest houses and hotels are also mushrooming,
showing signs of tourist arrivals increasing to nearly 3 million tourists a
year.
This Southeast Asian nation exports nearly $4 billion,
including $2 billion to the U.S., worth of garment products a year. Cambodia
produces 4 million tons of rice a year and projects to export one million ton
of rice by the year 2015.
Furthermore, His Excellency Dr. Sok An said that Cambodia
looks to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) along with advanced technology
and know-how that will create more jobs on top of skill and knowledge for
the local people.
Cambodia is now about to issue the production permit for US
giant Chevron, which discovered oil in Cambodia’s offshore on block A, said the
Deputy Prime Minister.
Tramontano, who was an assistant to the former President Bill
Clinton, listened attentively to the statement by the Deputy Prime Minister and
said that “we would like to be helpful to Cambodia.” End.