Cambodia Prepares for ASEAN Forum on Labor Migration to Strengthen Worker Protection

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training of Cambodia convened a national tripartite preparatory meeting for the 19th ASEAN Forum on Labor Migration (AFML) in Phnom Penh. The forum's main theme is "Protection of Labor Migrants Through Safe and Legal Migration," with two sub-themes: "Selection of Labor Migrants Through Online Systems and Challenges," and "Access to Protection, Compensation, and Support for Labor Migrants." The significant workshop was organized by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the International Labour Organization (ILO) under the TRIANGLE Partnership project, with financial support from the Australian Government and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. It was attended by leaders, technical officials, representatives from relevant ministries and institutions, employers, trade unions, national and international organizations, development partners, and many other stakeholders. In his opening remarks, H.E. Seng Sakda, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, stated that the workshop aims to collect and share information on the progress of implementing recommendations from previous ASEAN forums, discuss the themes of the 19th ASEAN Forum on Labor Migration, and discuss and adopt Cambodia's recommendations for submission to the 19th AFML, scheduled to be held in the Philippines on October 14-15, 2026. H.E. Seng Sakda highlighted that the Cambodian government has put in place numerous policies and legal instruments to protect the rights and benefits of Cambodian migrant workers abroad and foreign workers employed in the Kingdom of Cambodia. He also noted the government's commitment to promoting the implementation of relevant conventions, covenants of international organizations, the United Nations, and ASEAN instruments concerning labor migration. Meanwhile, Mr. Karan Dhamija, First Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Cambodia, and Ms. Anna Engblom, Country Technical Advisor for the ILO in Cambodia, emphasized the importance of strengthening the protection of migrant workers' rights in the digital work environment. They specifically pointed to the need for preventing and mitigating risks associated with online recruitment, providing accurate labor information, and enhancing the digital literacy of workers. Both also affirmed their continued support for cooperation with Cambodia and ASEAN to promote safe, fair, and efficient labor migration. Information Source: Koh Santepheap Khmer