Cambodia Holds Forum on Strengthening NGO Capacity in the Digital Era

The Civil Society Organization (CSO) Federation (V.S.S.) of the Prime Minister's Cabinet, in cooperation with the Stung Treng Provincial Administration, organized a dialogue forum under the theme "Strengthening CSO Capacity in the Digital Era." The event took place on the morning of July 21, 2026, at the provincial hall's meeting room. The forum was presided over by H.E. Pai Sambor, Secretary-General of the V.S.S. Secretariat, representing H.E. Kem Ratt Visith, Deputy Head of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Hun Manet and Chairman of the V.S.S. Board of Directors, and Mr. Yim Phen, Deputy Governor of Stung Treng Province, representing H.E. Sor Soputra, Governor of Stung Treng Province. Speaking at the forum, attended by numerous representatives from CSOs in Stung Treng province and local authorities, H.E. Pai Sambor emphasized the importance of understanding digital transformation and Cambodia's digital government policy. He encouraged greater active participation from CSOs at the local level to jointly combat fake news and online scams within communities, aiming to enhance public welfare. H.E. Pai Sambor further stated that the seventh-term government, under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, always pays high attention to CSOs as indispensable partners of the government in promoting development across all sectors, as well as in enhancing the welfare and living standards of citizens at the local level. He also highly praised and valued the active contributions of CSOs and their close cooperation with local authorities in driving local development. On this occasion, Mr. Yim Phen encouraged CSOs to continue strengthening their capacity in the digital era by adapting to and continuously learning new technologies. He urged them to enhance digital capabilities in managing institutional data and information to avoid risks of technological offenses and to utilize digital platforms to expand outreach, promote transparency, and facilitate communication with communities and sub-national administrations, thereby strengthening their work efficiency. He also urged CSOs to continue cooperating with local authorities in implementing the "Safe Village-Commune-District" policy and combating technology-based scams in their localities through monitoring and reporting suspicious locations. Representatives from CSOs in Stung Treng province raised challenges and made requests, engaging in frank and lively discussions. As a result, some challenges and requests were directly resolved during the discussions, while others will be further discussed with relevant authorities and competent departments to jointly find solutions. The V.S.S. facilitated a presentation on "Digital Literacy and Cybersecurity Awareness for CSOs" by Mr. Try Vithou, Head of the E-commerce Department at the Digital Technology Academy of Cambodia, to disseminate and promote digital transformation and understanding of Cambodia's Digital Economic and Social Policy 2021-2035.