CHILD welfare and development organization Unicef has entered a new Basic

Agreement of Cooperation with the government which aims to formalize existing

institutional ties and improve the delivery of Unicef programs .

The

agreement replaced an outdated 1952 contract and was signed on International

Children's Day, June 1, by the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Ung

Hout, and Unicef's country representative, Anne Bruzelius.

Unicef

Information Officer Tony Oliver said the agreement was important as it would

help strengthen the excellent cooperation and support provided by the government

for Unicef programs.

Oliver said the organization has been playing an

active role in 21 provinces to protect and improve living conditions for women

and children, and where necessary using government resources to deliver the

assistance to needy areas.

He said: "Unicef is lucky to have such good

cooperation with the government, Unicef's role is not so active in some areas

due to security reasons."

Oliver said with the government's help Unicef

had been able to deliver its Expanded Program on Immunization throughout the

country.

He said in some cases with regions that were difficult to reach,

Unicef had provided surplus stock to neighboring provinces, and then relied on

the initiative of the local people to deliver the medicines to the people in

more remote areas.

Unicef provides programs on maternal and child

health, essential drug supplies, immunization, basic education, protection of

children especially in difficult circumstances, water supply and sanitation,

nutrition and women's development.

Oliver said: "Children are the basis

of the country, Cambodia won't develop if children are not well enough. Unicef

not only focuses on children but also their mothers because it is important for

mothers to deliver care to their children.

"Unicef is helping women to

earn extra income so they can stand on their own feet, and it also assists

women's development programs.

"Since the signing of the Paris Peace

Accords our programs are becoming bigger and bigger each year."