Cambodia: Forum Held to Strengthen Civil Society Organizations' Capacity in the Digital Era

Kandal, August 3, 2026--The Civil Society Organization Federation (CSO Federation, V.S.S.) in collaboration with the Kandal Provincial Administration organized a dialogue forum on the theme "Strengthening the Capacity of Civil Society Organizations in the Digital Era" on the morning of August 3, 2026, at the Kandal Provincial Hall. This forum aims to enhance understanding of digital transformation, promote safe technology use, and strengthen cooperation between civil society organizations and the government in contributing to sustainable national socio-economic development. The forum was attended by H.E. Pai Sambour, Secretary-General of the V.S.S. General Secretariat, Mr. Nop Dara, Deputy Governor of Kandal Province, as well as representatives from numerous civil society organizations, local authorities, relevant ministries, and development partners. Speaking at the forum, H.E. Pai Sambour praised the active role and contributions of civil society organizations in Kandal Province to community development, improving the welfare of the people, and enhancing their livelihoods in an inclusive manner. Civil society organizations will continue to strengthen their partnership with the government by utilizing digital technologies more effectively, in line with national development policies and strategies, to contribute to building a digital society and digital economy in Cambodia. On this occasion, Mr. Nop Dara highly valued the contributions of civil society organizations to the development of Kandal Province and urged them to further strengthen their capacity in managing data and information through digital systems, helping to expand transparent information dissemination, and increasing the efficiency of public service delivery. The Deputy Governor also called on civil society organizations to continue cooperating with local authorities in implementing the "Safe Village-Commune-District" policy, preventing fraud through technological systems, and jointly combating fake news, which are emerging problems in the digital society. Currently, there are 416 civil society organizations operating in Kandal Province, comprising 131 NGOs, 199 associations, and 86 communities. It should be noted that during the forum, Dr. Duch Dineil, Vice Dean of the Institute of Digital Technology at the National Digital Technology Academy of Cambodia, presented on "Digital Literacy and Technology System Security for Civil Society Organizations." This presentation focused on safe technology use, data protection, and the effective implementation of Cambodia's Digital Economy and Society Policy 2021-2035. Notably, the forum also created an open atmosphere for exchanging views, with representatives of civil society organizations raising challenges, requests, and practical experiences in implementing their work at the grassroots level. As a result, some issues were immediately discussed and resolved, while other issues will continue to be coordinated with relevant institutions to find effective solutions. Information Source: AKP Khmer