The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI) of Cambodia and the Embassy of India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a project on “Enrichment in Science, Technology and Innovation, Kampot Province, Cambodia (KESTI)”.
H.E. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister, Minister of MISTI and H.E. Dr. Devyani Khobragade, Ambassador of India to Cambodia were the signatories at an official ceremony held at MISTI on Mar. 31.
The project addresses the national platform of promoting human resources in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as stated in Cambodia 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, H.E. Cham Prasidh thanked the Government of India and Embassy of India for considering the project and signing the MoU within a short 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, H.E. 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.
H.E. Ambassador stressed on the positive impact of QIP projects towards the enhancement of the overall bilateral relationship and good will between the people of India and Cambodia. This year, the focus of QIPs will be on health, tourism development, education-digital education with particular focus on women literacy.
According to a press release of the Embassy of India, KESTI is a part of Government of India’s Quick Impact Project (QIP) Scheme under the framework of Mekong Ganga Cooperation. Government of India cooperates with the Royal Government of Cambodia on many grant assistance programmes that contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of the people of Cambodia. Under QIP Scheme, the Government of India implements 10 projects every year in Cambodia by providing a funding of 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, etc. Out of 46 projects, 21 projects have already been completed and the remaining 25 projects are at various stages of execution. These projects have received overwhelming response and created a distinct and visible impact not only among the beneficiaries but also in the larger community.
