Marking the next step to the Kingdom’s resumption of international adoptions, the Ministry of Social Affairs distributed for the first time copies of all adoption-related prakases, or edicts, to international representatives and adoption agencies in the capital yesterday.

International interest in the Kingdom’s resumption of international adoptions was evident during the conference with embassy representatives from the US, Germany, Israel, Italy, Thailand, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland and the Philippines in attendance.

But with only one social worker for every 25,000 adoption applicants, Cambodia must be sure it can cope with demand, Social Affairs Minister Vong Sauth said. At the conference, Sauth appealed to international donors to continue contributing funds so “child abuse, trafficking and prostitution” could be halted.

While the freeze on adoptions – put in place in 2009 by the Inter-Country Adoption Law – was lifted in January, the country has yet to begin accepting or processing applications.