Cambodia Holds Training for Local Officials on Finance and Sanitation

A training session on the utilization of social service and environmental sanitation budgets was held for local administrative officials in Baray District, Kampong Province, on September 11, 2026. The event was organized by the Kampong Thom Provincial Association of Local Councils, in collaboration with its district branch and the provincial treasury working group. The meeting took place at the meeting hall of the Baray District Department of Education, Youth, and Sports. It was attended by 139 participants, including Mr. Oueng Saroeun, Head of the Baray District Association of Local Councils Branch; Mr. Khon Chanthei, Governor of Baray District; members of the Kampong Thom Provincial Treasury working group; commune/village chiefs; commune council members; commune secretaries; and commune financial assistants, as well as heads of relevant district offices. (38 were female). Mr. Oueng Saroeun, Head of the Baray District Association of Local Councils Branch, outlined the objectives of the meeting and training. These included strengthening the understanding and knowledge of district/commune councils regarding the principles, procedures, and management of social service and environmental sanitation budgets for correct and effective use. He also emphasized enhancing capacity in planning and budgeting, focusing on the specific needs of citizens, particularly vulnerable groups, and promoting community well-being. Furthermore, the aim was to increase the efficiency and transparency of budget utilization in line with plans, principles, and related procedures, ensuring that expenditures are accountable and auditable. Mr. Khon Chanthei, Governor of Baray District, highlighted the importance of promoting environmental sanitation activities at the local level to reduce waste and pollution, thereby contributing to the protection of public health. He stressed the need for cooperation between districts/communes and relevant parties in organizing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating activities supported by social service and environmental sanitation budgets. The goal is to share experiences and challenges encountered in local work to find appropriate solutions and improve implementation for greater effectiveness, ensuring that funds are used for their intended purposes and provide tangible benefits to citizens through the provision of social services and improvements in local environmental sanitation. Mr. Phon Sochea, Head of the Sub-National Section of the Kampong Thom Provincial Treasury, presented on the management, allocation, and identification of expenditure items for social service and environmental sanitation budgets from municipal/district funds and commune/sangkat funds. He discussed the significance of these budgets, the role of municipalities/districts and communes/sangkats in providing public services to citizens, and the objectives of managing and allocating expenditures efficiently, transparently, and accountably. He underscored the need to understand budget management principles, clearly define expenditure items eligible for fund use, delineate the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, and enhance the efficiency of budget utilization for social and environmental services. Mr. Keang Sengky, President of the Kampong Thom Provincial Association of Local Councils, urged all commune administrations to review sub-decrees, circulars from the Ministry of Interior, and documents distributed during the training to understand the income and expenditure aspects of their commune administration's budget utilization. He encouraged them to effectively implement their roles and responsibilities according to the association's principles and stated that the association would strive to identify best practices to foster further development in commune administrations. He also called for maintaining internal solidarity within commune administrations and fostering good communication between working teams and various partner organizations to ensure the success of their respective unit's work. By Soum Vanna © All rights reserved by National News Agency of Cambodia 2018