AKP Phnom Penh, January 24, 2025 --

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) reaffirmed its commitment to Cambodia’s development through the announcement of an US$11.7 million project aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Royal School of Administration (RSA) for governance reform and institutional advancement. 

The announcement was made during a wrap-up meeting for an in-depth study of the project held at the RSA, said KOICA in a news release AKP received this evening. 

The wrap-up meeting, presided over by H.E. Hun Many, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Service, and Ms. Shin Jungyeon, Acting Country Director of the KOICA Cambodia Office, underscored the importance of this initiative. The event was held at the Royal School of Administration and highlighted the collaborative efforts between KOICA and Cambodia’s government.

According to the news release, the in-depth study, conducted from Jan. 20-24, 2025, involved KOICA’s expert team and officials from Cambodia’s Ministry of Civil Service and RSA. This study focused on refining the project’s components and preparing the groundwork for the Record of Discussions (RoD) between KOICA and the Ministry, expected to be signed in this 1st quarter of 2025.

H.E. Hun Many highlighted key measures of Cambodia’s public administration reform, including the implementation of the civil servant recruitment system, institutional capacity building, and the incentive system. He remarked that the KOICA project timely launch reflects its importance in supporting the government’s strategic objectives. 

This project focuses on enhancing operational capacity by providing consulting services on civil servant recruitment and training systems, with a particular emphasis on supporting capacity building for ICT education. Additionally, the establishment of an online education platform will enable civil servants to access training both online and offline, contributing to the RSA's goal of increasing the annual number of civil servants trained.

By developing an online education platform and strengthening ICT education for civil servants, the project will also support the Cambodian government’s priority area of digital transformation in public administration. This initiative aligns with the government's efforts to modernise operations and create a more efficient, technology-driven civil service.

KOICA conducted the first feasibility study for the above-mentioned project in December 2023. The feasibility study yielded positive results, leading KOICA to approve the development of an US$11.7 million project for a duration of five years, from 2025 to 2029. This marks an additional US$1.7 million and a two-year extension compared to the original proposal of a US$10 million project over three years.

AKP