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Asia
The history of Cambodia has been a history of extremes: the country enjoyed its golden age during the rule of the Khmer kings from the 9th to the 15th century. The temple sites in the Angkor region testify to the advanced civilisation of that period. In the 20th century, Cambodia endured extreme suffering and devastation. Since gaining its independence from France in 1953, Cambodia has been through numerous conflicts, the consequences of which are still affecting its people today. From 1969 to 1973, during the Viet Nam War, Cambodia was the target of a bombing campaign aimed at destroying Vietcong bases there. The Khmer Rouge then took control of the country under Pol Pot and a reign of terror began. Almost 3 million Cambodians – around one-third of the population at that time – were murdered or fled. Practically the entire Cambodian intellectual elite was massacred and the country’s infrastructure was totally destroyed. It was not until 1993 and the first free elections for 20 years that some semblance of normality was restored.
Cambodia’s hopes of a brighter future rest primarily on its expanding textiles industry and tourism. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people come to Cambodia to visit the ruins of the once-powerful Khmer kingdom, which also extended across much of present-day Thailand, Laos and Viet Nam.
Coordinated support
Cambodia enjoys friendly relations with Germany. Germany actively supports this South-East Asian country in its moves towards development and democratisation. Cambodia is an important partner country for German development cooperation. The main areas of activity in this partnership are promoting rural development, developing the health sector and promoting democracy, civil society and public administration (good governance).
Cambodia is a pilot country under the harmonisation initiative of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): in keeping with the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the 2008 Accra Agenda for Action, development cooperation and technical exchange between the various donors involved in the country and the Cambodian government should be coordinated wherever possible. It is envisaged that an improved division of labour and better harmonisation among donors will then enhance aid effectiveness. Germany is supporting this process.
Cambodia is also a pilot country in the process to put into practice the EU Code of Conduct. This provides for a division of labour among member states in partner countries and between members states and the European Commission. Germany has accepted the role of in-country coordinator for this process.
German Embassy
German Embassy in Phnom Penh
No. 76-78, Street 214
(= Rue Yougoslavie)
Phnom Penh
Kingdom of Cambodia
Phone: +855 / 23 / 21 61 93
Fax: +855 / 23 / 42 77 46
