Global Witness released its report entitled “Country for Sale” by saying that corrupt elite has captured the country’s emerging oil and mineral sectors. Report exposes for the first time how this future is being jeopardized by high-level corruption, nepotism and patronage in the allocation and management of these critical public assets.
The finding suggests that millions of dollars paid by oil and mining companies to secure access to these resources may be missing from the national accounts.
Cambodia, which is less developed countries, could eventually earn enough from its oil, gas and minerals to become independent of foreign development aid.
Private sector companies also have a role to play in improving the governance of Cambodia’s extractive industries. So far over 75 companies are working in Cambodia’s extractive sectors, including some internationally known operators such as Chevron and BHP Billiton. Country for Sale documents how many of these companies have already paid significant upfront sums to the government. Very few of them have disclosed these payments, report said.
“Companies need to come clean on what they have paid to the government to secure access to these natural resources, or risk becoming complicit in a corrupt system,” said Global Witness Campaigns Director, Gavin Hayman.
“The same political elite that pillaged the country’s timber resources has now gained control of its mineral and petroleum wealth. Unless this is changed, there is a real risk that the opportunity to lift a whole generation out of poverty will be squandered,” said he.
Clicker to download reports in Khmer and English
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