Cambodia Enhances Civil Servant Capacity Through India's ITEC Program

Mr. Sok Soken, Minister of Inspection, considered the India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program as an important platform for building the capacity of Cambodian civil servants, nurturing new skills, and contributing to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between Cambodia and India. This was stated during the celebration of "India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day," which Mr. Sok Soken presided over alongside Mr. Vanlalvawna Bawitlung, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to Cambodia. The event was attended by leaders, former ITEC trainees, and many distinguished guests at the Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh on September 15, 2026. On this occasion, the Minister expressed his gratitude to the Embassy of the Republic of India for organizing this event to further strengthen the long-standing and close people-to-people friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore, he mentioned that under the far-sighted and pragmatic leadership of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Royal Government is implementing the "Pentagon Strategy - Phase 1." To contribute to this vision, the Ministry of Inspection has formulated and is implementing the "4P4J" strategy, along with training officials through the National Institute of Inspection. In this context, the Minister also recalled the meaningful remarks of Samdech Vibol Sena Pheakdey Sok An, who previously served as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Republic of India. Samdech Sok An had stated that "Human resource development is a long-term investment that requires at least 30 years to build the pillars of the nation." This statement still holds profound value today. Additionally, the Minister highly commended the Indian side for its active participation in preserving Cambodia's cultural heritage. He expressed regret that these efforts have been severely disrupted by past illegal invasions from Thailand, which caused damage to Preah Vihear Temple. He expressed hope that India will continue to play an active role in protecting and preserving this world heritage site. The Minister emphasized that the ITEC program not only contributes to building the capacity of Cambodian civil servants in various fields and fosters strong friendships between the peoples of the two countries but also serves as a valuable platform for training numerous new skills to meet Cambodia's future development needs. He expressed his firm belief that cooperation through the ITEC program and various multilateral frameworks, such as ASEAN and Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, will continue to strengthen institutions and develop human resources, serving as a foundation for Cambodia's development and ensuring the continuous growth of friendship and cooperation between Cambodia and India.