Cambodia to seek less donor aid for 2009

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia will reduce the amount of aid requested from donors in the coming year, as the global financial crisis puts a pinch on the Kingdom's foreign backers, national media reported Wednesday.

The government will seek less than 600 million U.S. dollars in official direct assistance (ODA), Cheam Yeap, Cambodian People's Party (CPP) lawmaker, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.

"Last year the government requested 602 million U.S. dollars, but they ended up giving us more 690 million U.S. dollars," he said ahead of a three-day meeting between donors and the government that begins Wednesday.

Cheam Yeap said that the global financial crisis could prevent countries from maintaining their normal levels of assistance.

The effects of the global economic recession will be one focus of the Cambodian Development Cooperation Forum, an annual event which is supposed to provide the government, civil society and donor groups with an opportunity to review key public policy issues and their financial requirement.