The Official Visit Results of H.E. Dr. THONG KHON, Minister of Tourism, and Permanent Vice President of the Interministerial Commission Leading the Cambodian Delegations to Partake in the 7th General Assembly of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club and to Receive the Membership Certificate of Cambodia Bay, Toubacouta, Republic of Senegal, May 22-26, 2011.
With the greatest permission from Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, H.E. Dr THONG KHON, Minister of Tourism of Cambodia, Permanent Vice President of the Inter-ministerial Commission, has led a delegation to partake in the 7th General Assembly of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club and to get the certificate of Cambodia Bay as the fully-fledged member of the club which was held on May 22-26, 2011 in the Republic of Senegal.
The General Assembly Opening Ceremony was presided over by H.E. Djibo Leity Ka, Senior Minister and Minister of Environment and Nature Conservation of the Republic of Senegal with the honorable participation of H.E. Coumba Ndoffene DIOUF, Governor of Fatick Region, Senegal and Mr. Jérôme BIGNON, President of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, and the members of provincial-municipal governments, an addition to a number of regional chefs representing the fully-fledged bays member, as well as the new candidacy bays from other countries, together with representatives of Senegalese ministries, institutions, and authorities, aside from representatives of UNESCO, European Union, French embassy, international organizations, and the local officials which are made up of approximately 250 people.
The General Assembly was taken place on the theme of “Bays: Strategy for Climate Change Facilitation and Activities to be Carried out at the Local Level”. The General Assembly has made discussion on some main topics such as Littoral vulnerability to climate change, Fisheries Resources and Climate Change, Forest Resources and Climate Change. At the same time, the General Assembly has deeply discussed the candidacy of the 5 new bays.
At the Assembly, the Cambodian delegation has highlighted the importance of the club which is considered as the hub of international exchange for the coastal area development in a sustainable and responsible manner and of assisting in the encouragement of promotional campaign and tourist attraction. Meanwhile, the delegation has also pointed out a huge potential of natural resources and the uniqueness of the costal zone which has currently become one of the priority poles of socio-economic, trade and tourism development of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Actually, the Royal Government has taken into account of the coastal area development and management in a responsible manner based on the principle of “Development serves Conservation, and Conservation serves development”.
Interestingly, the Assembly voiced its compliment to Cambodia which has highly paid attention to Cambodian coastal area development and management in a responsible manner based on the integrated planning, coherent governance, and joint management of effective natural resource usage through gathering and bringing the joint responsibility and benefit together between public-private sector, the local people, especially community and this experience is also considered as a model for other nations’ bay management, which is a key factor to deal with the global challenge—the climate change. Furthermore, the Assembly has also expressed appreciation to the mention about strategic policy and up-to-date concepts of Cambodian Ecotourism Development following the two paths: Small Scale Based on the Community and Large Scale Based on Huge Investments Using High-End Technology.
Following the active and responsible discussion, the Club’s Assembly voted for the candidacy bays. And as a result, the 5 new candidacy bays were elected such as Jounié Bay (Lebanon), Horta Bay (Portugal), Roses Bay (Spain), Fort de France (Martini-France), and La Baule Bay (France).
On an auspicious occasion, the Assembly has also organized the certificate presentation ceremony of the newly fully-fledged member of the club: the Cambodia Bay and the Grikos Bay of Patmos, Greece.
At the closing ceremony of the General Assembly, H.E. Dr. THONG KHON, Minister of Tourism, is honorably invited to be a chair and to deliver closing speech of the 7th General Assembly of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club. His Excellency has expressed thanks for the club and Assembly’s support for Cambodia Bay until it becomes the fully-fledged member. Cambodia is firmly confident that being a member of the club will allow Cambodia coastal area to continue leading to international scene, especially contribute to sustainable and responsible development in the coastal area which will become the second attractive tourist destination following Angkor Wat—the first major cultural and historical tourist destination of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
It is noticeably that the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club is composed of 33 member bays from 27 countries; and in 2012, the 8th General Assembly of the club will be celebrated in Greece and Turkey.
Moreover, the Inter-ministerial commission for admitting Cambodia Bay to the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club is made up of H.E IM CHHUNLIM, Senior Minister and Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction—President, H.E MOK MARETH, Senior Minister and Minister of Environment—Vice President, and H.E.Dr. THONG KHON, Minister of Tourism—Permanent Vice President, with the participation of other relevant ministries and institutions.
