In a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation yesterday, the Japanese government officially granted aid of 974 million yen (about US$12.2 million) to the Cambodian government.

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The Honorable Masafumi Kuroki, Japanese ambassador to Cambodia, said his country had made the donation to help accelerate economic and social development in Cambodia in order to improve the living standards and welfare of its people.

The funds will be focused on two specific areas of spending: health and transport infrastructure.

The upgrading and renovating of medical equipment and supplies at hospitals both in Phnom Penh and the provinces will account for $4.7 million of the total, while the remaining $7.5 million will be spent on bridge and road renovation, repairing the damage caused by floods in 2011.

“I believe that these two grants will contribute to the economic and social development of Cambodia,” the ambassador said at the ceremony, adding, “I sincerely hope that they will also strengthen the friendly relations between Japan and the Kingdom of Cambodia.”

Ouch Borith, secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, confirmed that the grant dedicated to health spending would be used for buying modern medical equipment such as X-ray and echography machines as well as patient monitoring equipment, and that the remainder of the budget would purchase the vehicles needed for road construction.

“We are very happy and firmly believe that the livelihood and welfare of our people will be improved by the two grants” he said.

He also echoed the ambassador’s belief that the gift of aid will strengthen and develop the tie of friendship between both countries.