Parties in Cambodia Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Return of Land to Twelve Indigenous Communities Affected by Rubber Plantations Developer

On June 15, 2024, the parties to an ongoing CAO dispute resolution process in Cambodia addressing a complaint regarding the impacts of the operations of Vietnamese rubber developer Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) Agrico on local indigenous communities in Ratanakiri, Cambodia reached an important milestone in the resolution of the case. With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). HAGL agreed to the return of over 700 hectares of land to the affected communities.

The MoU also includes provisions for the resolution of the remaining dispute over 20 additional hectares of land and for the company's response to the communities' demand for financial support.

Since 2014, the complainants and HAGL have actively participated in a voluntary dispute resolution process facilitated by CAO. These efforts have led to several agreements over the years which the parties have documented in joint statements. The newly signed MoU marks a pivotal step towards full and final resolution of this long-standing dispute.

The communities’ complaint was eligible for the CAO process based on IFC investments in financial intermediary clients Vietnam Enterprise Investments Limited (VEIL), TPBank and VPBank, which were active at the time the complaint was filed with CAO.  

Learn more about the Cambodia: VEIL II-01 & TPBank and VPBank-01 cases.