Phnom Penh: Minister of Economy and Finance, Aun Pornmoniroth has requested the World Bank to reconsider its high concessional credit conditions and delay the implementation of new credit conditions for Cambodia. The request was made during a virtual meeting on Monday with the World Bank Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific, Victoria Kwakwa.

Minister Pornmoniroth has reported to Kwakwa the vaccination progress in Cambodia where more than 90% of the population aged 18 years and above from the target of 10 million people and about 1.4 million children under 18 years old from the target two million target. He has also added that Cambodia will also soon reopen public and private schools for all secondary and high school levels.

The Minister says that the kingdom has a plan to reopen economic activity in the “new normal” way, starting with education, followed by domestic tourism and the vaccinated tourists for the reopening of international tourism. He has also requested the World Bank to help mobilise resources in the form of grant to finance development and social protection projects, such as education, skills development and health projects, which are in greater demand, especially during Covid-19 recovery.

Kwakwa has expressed appreciation and admiration to the Royal Government on its success in controlling the spread of Covid-19, especially the rapid vaccination drive. She says it is such an encouragement for people in developing countries, especially with Cambodia slowly reopening the public and private educational institutions. She says Cambodia has her full support promising to relay Minister Pornmoniroth requests to the World Bank leaders in order to come up with a resolution.