PM Hun Manet: No Digital Platform Can Replace Human Ethics, Transparency, and Professionalism as Foundation of Trust

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that no digital platform, however advanced, can replace the human elements of ethics, transparency, and professionalism, which form the bedrock of public trust. Prime Minister Hun Manet made these remarks at the opening of the 23rd ASEAN Conference on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) and the 8th ASEAN Plus Three ACCSM, held in Siem Reap on August 5th, under the theme "Innovation for Better Public Service Delivery." He noted that innovation must be built upon a strong foundation of institutional capacity and human resources, acknowledging that each ASEAN member state starts from a different developmental level. The goal, he said, is to reduce disparities and ensure that each country can adopt and utilize new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), at an appropriate and sustainable pace. The Prime Minister further emphasized that regardless of how sophisticated technology becomes, it cannot function or develop without the human factor. Therefore, the adoption of digital technologies must go hand-in-hand with continuous investment in human capital, leadership development, and the strengthening of integrity. "True innovation in governance relies on strengthening institutions and human capital, rather than solely on digital tools, because this work requires integrity, and no digital platform can replace human ethics, transparency, and professionalism, which are the true foundations of public trust," stated Prime Minister Hun Manet. ASEAN cooperation on civil service matters began in the early 1980s through conferences on civil service reform. It was officially established in 1981 as the ASEAN Conference on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) and was later officially renamed ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) in 2015. Source: AKP Khmer