The cash crisis at the Khmer Rouge tribunal will be stemmed by immediate monetary contributions totaling US$15.5 million from donor countries, court officials said yesterday.

Donor countries have pledged the funds after budget meetings between court administrators and donors at UN headquarters in New York last week.

“Following the meeting between the group of interested states held on 24 February 2012 in New York, new funding has been pledged from donors for both sides of the ECCC,” tribunal public affairs spokesman Huy Vannak said yesterday, adding that the funds were expected to be accessible in the next “few weeks”.

Six countries have pledged a total of $12 million to the national side of the court and Cambodia and Japan have pledged $3.5 million to the UN side of the court.

Acting director of administration Tony Kranh sent an official note to all Cambodian staff at the court to inform them they will receive their salaries in a few weeks, said Huy Vannak, who leaves his post at the court today to take up a new role at Cambodia’s new 24-hour news station CNC.

Cambodian staff at the court have not received any salary yet for 2012, and some judges and legal officers have not been paid since October.

The court had asked for $89 million for 2012-2013 operation expenses, with $20 million to go to the national side and $69 million needed by the UN side.

Sources close to the matter said the tribunal’s steering committee had approved the full $89 million budget for the next two years.