The Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), the Southeast Asia leader of The Access Initiative (TAI)
< http://accessinitiative.org >, took new steps towards organizing coalitions of Chinese and Cambodian non-governmental organizations to eventually complete formal TAI assessments of Yunnan Province in Southern China and Cambodia , respectively. Representatives of TEI met with ICRAF China, which has agreed to lead the Yunnan assessment, and potential partners and advisors of the TAI coalition for Yunnan in Kunming in January 2008. Similar meeting took place between TEI, FACT, which has agreed to lead the TAI coalition in Cambodia , and other partners and advisors in Phnom Penh , Cambodia , earlier in August 2007. TEI has already provided training for partners in both China and Cambodia . The TAI assessments in Yunnan and Cambodia are expected to be completed within this year and will be funded by the Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia (SENSA). Existing access concerns include the lack of transparency and public participation in environmental decision-making. TAI seeks to ensure that people have a voice in the decisions that affect their environment and their communities. TAI partners promote transparent, participatory, and accountable governance as an essential foundation for sustainable development. The results of assessments performed in other countries have helped partners identify gaps in laws, institutions and practices relating to environmental decision-making. Assessments are also used to engage the government in a dialogue about access rights. TAI assessments have been completed for over 40 countries.

Training Workshop in Yunnan, China Training of TAI coalition in Yunnan, January 13 - 15, 2008 Organized by World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF-China),leader of the coalition At Cui Yi Hotel, Kunming, China http://www.wri. org/stories/ 2008/02/global- civil-society- initiative- expands-china#
Cambodia Training of TAI coalition in Cambodia, August 28 - 30, 2007. Organized by Fisheries Action Coalition Team (FACT), leader of the coalition at Goldiana Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia