"Labour Ministry downplays Walmart's concerns over working conditions, politics", 27 Dec 2017

Cambodia's Ministry of Labour today downplayed concerns expressed by...Walmart, which had written the minister a letter asking the government to improve working conditions... and to treat the US government and NGOs with “fairness”. The letter was sent by Scott Price, executive vice president for Walmart, to Labour Minister... In [it], Price reiterates the retailer’s commitment to sourcing from Cambodia but says their consumers expect high standards of “social and labour conditions” in countries they source from. “[We] respectfully ask that your government continue to improve working conditions for Cambodian factory workers and treat our government and civil society with fairness, in accordance with international standards and norms,” the letter reads. Cambodia [received] near-universal condemnation [for] government’s sustained clampdown on civil society organisations,...media... and the country's only viable opposition party, which was summarily dissolved by the Supreme Court last month...In response...US imposed visa restrictions...and withdrew funding from Cambodia's National Election Committee. The European Union also withdrew its funding... Labour Ministry spokesman...however, maintained that Walmart's letter was entirely positive...“I don’t think this is the criticism of the government. When you say ‘continue to improve’, it recognises the improvement,” Sour said. “The relationship between the US and Cambodia is normal, and cooperation with civil society and unions from US is still going smoothly.”