Douglas Broderick, United Nations Resident Coordinator
Training School for Multinational Peacekeeping Forces, Kampong Speu
17 July 2010

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia; Excellency General Tea Banh; Ambassador Rodley; Major General Peter Pawling; Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased and honoured to represent the UN in Cambodia here at the opening of the first multi-national peacekeeping training exercise to take place in Cambodia.

It is remarkable to see members of the armed forces of 24 countries teaming up here in Kampong Speu to train in peacekeeping operations. This is particularly noteworthy considering that this country was itself the site of fierce battles within our lifetimes.  The UN hopes that peaceful and cooperative efforts, such as this, among nations will enhance regional partnerships and contribute to peace, stability and security efforts in Cambodia, Southeast Asia, and around the world.

Douglas Broderick, United Nations Resident Coordinator
InterContinental Hotel, Phnom Penh, 1 July 2010

Excellency Sak Setha, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior and Head of National Committee for Sub-national Democratic Development (NCDD) Secretariat; Excellency Hang Chuon Naron, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Permanent Vice-Chairman, Supreme National Economic Council (Congratulations Excellency on your new appointment); excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to be here with you today to launch the Local Development Outlook on Cambodia. First I'd like to applaud the publication of this report prepared by UNCDF with support from several UN agencies. This is a comprehensive document to guide our efforts in assisting in the development of Cambodia. I would also like to thank Excellencies Sak Setha, Hang Chuon Naron and all those who provided valuable inputs to the report.

The United Nations Office at Geneva

26 June 2010 (HR10/104E)

“Despite a well-built international legal framework, torture prevails in many regions of the world and is often accompanied by an alarming degree of impunity,” warned four UN bodies* involved in preventing torture and helping its victims, on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

“Torture continues to be widespread and certain practices amounting to torture as well as to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment have been reinvigorated, in particular in the context of the so-called global war on terror after 11 September 2001,” the group of UN experts said.