KAMPOT: The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI) of Cambodia and the Embassy of India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a project on “Enrichment in Science, Technology and Innovation, Kampot Province, Cambodia (KESTI)”.
Senior Minister Cham Prasidh and the manager of MISTI, as well as the Ambassador of India, Dr. Devyani Khobragade, were the signatories at an official ceremony held at MISTI, on 31 Mar.
The project addresses the national platform of promoting human resources in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as stated in Cambodia's National Development Plan. This project provides benefits beyond the direct beneficiaries from school to community in terms of potential job opportunities. The direct beneficiaries in this project are students and teachers at selected public high schools in Kampot province.
Speaking on the occasion, Senior Minister Cham Prasidh thanked the Government and Embassy of India for considering the project and signing the MoU within a short time period. He hoped that this would help the students in STEM education and conveyed that his Ministry is also keen to submit one more proposal under the Quick Impact Project Scheme of the Government of India soon.
As the project would be completed in one year, the Indian Ambassador, Dr. Devyani Khobragade, affirmed the Embassy’s willingness to support another project to help students in STEM education. She also suggested a formal mechanism in the form of setting up a Joint Working Group on Science & Technology between India and Cambodia so that subject experts can brainstorm various ideas to work together in the field of science and technology and also explore opportunities for having institutional linkages between the two countries.
The Ambassador stressed the positive impact of the Quick Impact Project (QIP) scheme towards the enhancement of overall bilateral relations and strengthened goodwill between the people of India and Cambodia. This year, the focus of QIPs will be on health, tourism development, and digital education, with particular focus on women's literacy.
According to a press release issued by the Embassy of India, KESTI is a part of the Government of India’s Quick Impact Project (QIP) Scheme under the framework of Mekong Ganga Cooperation. The Government of India cooperates with the Royal Government of Cambodia on many grant assistance programs that contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of Cambodia. Under the QIP Scheme, the Government of India implements 10 projects every year in Cambodia by providing funding up to US $50,000/- each per project.
Since 2015-16, the Government of India has approved 46 projects in the fields of IT, agriculture, health, sanitation, women’s empowerment, child welfare, rural development, social infrastructure (including capacity building), environment, and more. Out of the 46 projects, 21 have already been completed, and the remaining 25 projects are at various stages of execution. These projects have received widespread response and created a distinct and visible impact not only among the beneficiaries but also in the larger community.
