Cambodia hosts int'l meeting on global economic crisis

Xinhua
08/10/2009

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia hosts a three-day meeting on Thursday in Cambodia's northern province of Siem Reap, focusing on global economic crisis.

A statement released by Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) said the annual forum's theme for this year is "Overcoming the Global Financial and Economic Crisis: The Rule of Law as the Key to Economic Freedom," which is devoted to the topic of dealing with the global economic crisis.

"We need to understand them to see which reforms are needed. Wealso need to guard against those who use the crisis as a pretext for furthering their own illiberal agendas," the statement said.

"We will try to explore how to bridge the gap between people's clamor for action and protection against the effects of the crisis can be reconciled to sober economic analysis.
Otherwise we risk wasting huge amounts of resources for little effect, resources that will go to the politically powerful rather than the poor and needy," it added.

The conference is a platform for the exchange of useful information, practical techniques and networking tailored to the needs of think tanks, industry, academics and policymakers.

Since 1998, it has become the Economic Freedom Network Asia conference's custom to utilize various forms of comprehensive and interactive programs.

In addition to keynote presentations and panel discussions, this year's conference will employ the Open Space Technology (OST). OST is a facilitation method which allows participants to identify specific issues, self-select into discussion groups and work on issues with individuals of similar interests.

Keynote speakers include Keat Chhon, deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Professor Lawrence H. White from George Mason University.

The conference is sponsored and supported by Economic Freedom Network Asia and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty and in collaboration with the Cambodia Institute of Development Study and the Citizen Action Net for Social Development.

Editor: Zhang Xiang