Cambodia Pledges Stronger Regional Cooperation on Public Administration

Prime Minister of Cambodia, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, expressed his profound gratitude for the strong commitment to promoting regional cooperation in public administration, during the opening ceremony of the 23rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Public Administration and the 8th ASEAN+3 Meeting on Public Administration, held at Sokha Siem Reap Resort & Convention Center, Siem Reap province, on the morning of August 5, 2026. The meeting's theme was 'Innovation for Better Public Service Delivery.' The Head of the Cambodian Government considered the 23rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Public Administration and the 8th ASEAN+3 Meeting as an important platform for open and frank discussions on challenges. He stated that addressing these challenges requires public officials who are professional, highly capable, dedicated, possess genuine expertise, integrity, and a strong will to serve their nation and people, especially as public administration reforms continue to be implemented. Prime Minister Hun Manet highlighted three transformative trends influencing the public sector globally, with varying degrees across countries: First, rising citizen expectations. Citizens expect public services that are more responsive, accessible, and transparent. Public trust is increasingly linked to integrity, professional ethics, and transparency. Second, digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Many governments are leveraging digital technologies and data-driven systems to enhance the efficiency of public service delivery. This shift demands that public officials possess digital capabilities, enabling them to use technology responsibly, inclusively, and accountably. Third, competition in attracting human resources. Public institutions face increasing competition from the private sector in attracting highly talented individuals. Therefore, public institutions must modernize their recruitment systems based on meritocracy, design flexible career progression for officials, and strategically promote human resource development. These structural trends underscore the importance of multilateral forums. Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet firmly stated that Cambodia fully supports and is committed to continuing to work closely with ASEAN member states, ASEAN+3 partners, and dialogue partners to translate these documents into concrete actions. In this spirit, Cambodia is proud to assume the rotating chairmanship of the ASEAN Public Administration Training Institute Network (PSTI) for the 2027-2028 mandate. He entrusted this task to the Royal School of Administration as the responsible institution, in cooperation with all relevant parties, to achieve tangible results.