Exchange of Notes for 2^nd Phase of JSAC’s Program

The Government of Japan has decided to distribute grant aid to the Royal Government of Cambodia for implementing “Peace Building and Comprehensive Small Arms Management Program in Cambodia” for the 2^nd time (Phase �U).  The Exchange of Notes (E/N) signed on Tuesday, January 18, 2005.  The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and E/N was signed by H.E. HOR NAMHONG, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and H.E. TAKAHASHI FUMIAKI, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

As a result of E/N this time, 466 million yen (approximately 4.6 million US dollars) will be granted to Cambodia.  Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) will conclude the Agent Agreement and Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC), which has been conducting for Peace Building in Cambodia through combating Small Arms issues and has collected over 10,000 weapons since 2003, will continue to implement for the next 2 years.

This program will execute five projects as follows:

1.       Weapons Reduction and Development for Peace (WDP) Project

This project is to encourage civilians to surrender weapons through educational workshops, to provide developments to the community based on the community’s needs where people surrender all weapons. JSAC will perform this activity in Preah Vihea and Kompong Thom Province in the Phase �U.   

   Moreover, JSAC will carry out police training and so on.

2.       Safe Storage and Registration (SSR) Project                                  

JSAC supports provincial police’s stockpiling and management of their legal weapons. In this project, JSAC does not only build warehouses to keep weapons but also aim the safer management through granting office equipment, database software and registration training.

3.       Weapons Destruction Project

This project aims to spread the message of “We are moving toward peace without weapons” to the public through visually destroying weapons.  JSAC has conducted Weapons Destruction Ceremony 4 times and has destroyed over 9,000 weapons so far.

4.       Public Awareness (PA) Project

The purpose of this project is to raise understanding and awareness on the problems of weapons possession and usage, effectively delivering the message among not only the local population but also the government officials.  JSAC produces many kinds of materials such as posters, billboards, and so on to spread our message.   

5.       National Commission (NC) Support Project

JSAC supports National Commission for Weapons Management and Reform in Cambodia (National Commission) which is the decision-making organization on the Small Arms issues in Cambodia.  JSAC is aiming the capacity building of the NC.

Note for Editors:

Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia (JSAC)Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management in Cambodia is a project team to implement “Peace Building and Comprehensive Small Arms Management Program in Cambodia.”  JSAC has collected over 10,000 weapons since it started the project in 2003.  JSAC is supporting Peace Building in Cambodia with comprehensive approaches in Banteay Mean Chey, Otdar Mean Chey and Siem Reap Province.