Wow! Thank you to everyone for the wonderful feedback and questions I
received after my first “Ask the Ambassador” column last week. I am
excited by how many Cambodians are interested in having a dialogue with
me, and I hope to continue to hear from you at AskAMBToddPP@state.gov.
This
week, I will answer three questions that I received that I feel are
very well related. The first question, “Why did I choose Cambodia?” is
very easy for me to answer. It is a great country at a very important
time in its history, and I feel I can make a positive difference.
This
is not the first time I have been to Cambodia. Over the years I have
visited several times, most recently about two years ago when I came
with my family. At the time I was the U.S. Ambassador to Brunei. We
wanted to see Cambodia’s beautiful countryside, get to know its people,
and enjoy the country’s culture. We visited throughout the country
including Phnom Penh and Siem Reap – we fell in love with the amazing
temples, the excellent food, and most of all, the people. Cambodians
are wonderful and welcoming, and I felt blessed to show my wife and my
children this “Kingdom of Wonder.”
I also knew if I could ever
become Ambassador I could make a difference. Fortunately for me two
years later, I am very happy to be here.
That brings me
directly to the next question I will answer today, “What is the United
States doing for Cambodia?” As U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, my primary
goal is to promote an effective partnership between our two nations.
To
that end, the United States provides funding to many NGOs that work
throughout the country on a wide range of issues important to Cambodians
– from the prevention of human trafficking to environmental issues with
the Mekong River. Beyond that, U.S. government agencies such as the
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Centers for Disease
Control (CDC), U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-2), and the Peace
Corps work directly to improve opportunities and the general quality of
life for Cambodians.
Many of you may have heard that the U.S.
Department of State issued its 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report last
week. For Cambodia, we wish to raise awareness on the subject of human
slavery and assist Cambodia with its own efforts to address the
problem. This year was a special year for combating
trafficking-in-persons in Cambodia as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
recognized Prum Vannak Anan, whose personal efforts have made an
extraordinary difference in the global fight against modern slavery.
Mr. Vannak Anan’s work is a clear indicator that Cambodia is determined
to eliminate this scourge, and the United States wants to be an engaged
partner to make this happen.
Much of what we do is behind the
scenes. We are not building bridges or resorts, but rather, we are
directly helping to advance the health, education, and security of
everyday Cambodians. If you want to learn more about our embassy’s
programs, please visit the U.S. Embassy website at
http://cambodia.usembassy.gov/.
Lastly, several people wrote to
ask “What do you think of Cambodia’s situation nowadays?” This is a big
question, and one that I will address again and again in this column
and on my blog (http://blogs.usembassy.gov/todd). But from my last trip
to Cambodia to now, I can definitely say that I am impressed by the
development all over the country. Roads are improving, and there are
skyscrapers being built all over Phnom Penh. These are sure signs of
positive economic growth. The country is beginning to transition from
an agricultural-based economy to an industrial-based economy, which is a
good sign of progress.
Children need an education, people
with education need to be able to find meaningful work in Cambodia, and
Cambodia needs to continue working to become more attractive to business
investors. Young people need to stay in school as long as they can to
get as much education as possible. The youth of this country are its
future. The other day someone asked me, “In your opinion, Ambassador,
what is the most important ‘sector or asset’ in Cambodia?” I responded
that it is the Cambodian youth; they are the future with over 70% of the
population being 30 years of age or younger. Through training,
experience and opportunity, they will be the business and government
leaders of this nation someday.
All of these things are related, and they are what I want to work on directly with Cambodians.
Cambodia
is a wonderful place to live, and I am glad to be here working with the
government, civil society, and the Cambodian people. I know that
together, by having these discussions, we can become even closer.
Please keep sending me your questions! I look forward to hearing from you at AskAMBToddPP@state.gov.
William E. Todd is U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia
