Country for Sale

5th February 2009

UPDATE JULY 09: VISIT OF CAMBODIAN PRIME MINISTER WOULD UNDERMINE LABOUR'S ANTI-CORRUPTION PLEDGES
UPDATE MAY 09: GLOBAL WITNESS WELCOMES CAMBODIA SAND EXPORT BAN
UPDATE MAY 09: GLOBAL WITNESS SLAMS DONOR COMPLACENCY OVER CORRUPTION IN CAMBODIA

Cambodia - one of the world's poorest countries - could eventually earn enough from its oil, gas and minerals to become independent of foreign development aid. This report, Country for Sale, exposes for the first time how this future is being jeopardised by high level corruption and nepotism in the allocation and management of these critical public assets.
Country for Sale details how rights to exploit oil and mineral resources have been allocated behind closed doors by a small number of powerbrokers surrounding the prime minister and other senior officials. The beneficiaries of many of these deals are members of the ruling elite or their family members. Meanwhile, millions of dollars paid by oil and mining companies to secure access to these resources appear to be missing from the national accounts.
In the course of its investigation into Cambodia's oil, gas and mining sectors, Global Witness obtained a number of key documents. Global Witness believes that it is important that these documents, which include key regulations for the extractive industries are easily available in the public domain.
Read the press release from February 2009 to accompany report launch
Read the Cambodian embassy in London's response to Country for Sale
Read about Global Witness' work on Cambodia's forest sector