Phnom Penh – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Green Leader Holdings Group Limited (Green Leader) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today for collaboration towards sustainable development of Cambodia’s Cassava Sector.

The agreement was signed by Mr. Nick Beresford, UNDP’s Country Director and Mr. Tse Michael Nam, Green Leader’s Chief Executive Officer, at the Ministry of Commerce. The signing ceremony was presided by H.E. Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce, Ms. Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, and Mr. Zhang San Huo, Chairman of Green Leader.

The MOU serves as a partnership agreement between UNDP and the private sector in the country to help ensure the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To this end, under this joint agreement, both UNDP and Green Leader agree to facilitate and strengthen collaboration in the following areas of activity:

1. Increasing cassava smallholder farmers productivity through transfers of capacity and technologies to ensure sustainable production system;

2. Improving quality and reliability of supply through the reinforcement of cassava farmers associations and cooperatives capacities and by promoting contract farming model; and

3. Promoting Research and Development on bio-ethanol with the view to promote national bio-fuel policy.

Attending the ceremony, Mr. Nick Beresford said “Entering in the MOU with Green Leader marks a concrete step ahead in supporting the development of cassava through partnership with private sector. The MOU will allow UNDP and Green Leader to bring in the complement comparative advantages to together enhancing and upgrading Cambodia cassava value chain, generating more value added for the country economy, and particularly bringing in more benefit to cassava farmers.”

Mr. Tse Michael also mentioned that “we believe that by entering into the MOU, the Group could fully develop cassava industry and a complete product chain in Cambodia which is in line with the government of Cambodia’s development agenda as well as the supportive of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and at the same time improve the livelihood of local farmers and communities. Therefore, the Directors consider that the MOU is in the interest of the Company and its shareholders as a whole.”

As the witnesser at the signing, H.E. Pan Sorasak, in his remarks, raised that “We have worked tirelessly in improving the farmers’ standard of living and the enhancement of the export markets. Now finally with the establishment of Green Leader first factory (in a series of many other to be built within the next few years ahead) who held its ground breaking ceremony in Snoul (Kratie Province), the company has shown concretely its commitment made to the Royal Government of Cambodia its willingness to help us industrialize the cassava sector. The MOU between UNDP and Green Leader will take part in uplifting our Cassava sector.”

For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:

Ms. Carmen Ng, Business Development Manager, Green Leader Holdings Group Limited

+852 2889 6289, info@greenleader.hk

Ms. Lang Sok, Communications Analyst, UNDP Cambodia

+855 17 663 006, communications.kh@undp.org