Phnom Penh, 3 December 2020 – Recognizing the importance of a peaceful, inclusive and equitable society, the Government of Japan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Interior (MOI), and the Cambodian Human Rights Action Coalition (CHRAC) marked the start of implementation of the “Building Capacities for Civic Engagement, Peacebuilding and Inclusive Dialogue: Towards Inclusive and Participatory Governance” project today, by participating in the project’s first board meeting.

Signed in March 2020, the project is a four-year initiative to foster an enabling environment for inclusive dialogue and partnership between the Royal Government of Cambodia and civil society organizations (CSOs). It is co-funded by the Government of Japan and UNDP, with a budget of US$2.16 million. The project’s implementation is supported by the MOI and CSO representatives, who are committed to enhancing civic engagement and dialogue in Cambodia by making it more inclusive and open to diverse voices.

The start of this project’s implementation is timely. In the wake of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, fragilities in systems that can serve both people and society have been exposed, and the significant rate of economic growth that Cambodia has enjoyed over the past two decades has also been affected. To build back better requires a new social contract that takes advantage of the diverse views and ideas of women, men, youth, minority groups and especially those who are left behind.

The project will facilitate several milestone dialogues at both national and sub-national level between the government institutions and CSOs across the country. In 2021, the targeted dialogue mechanisms are (i) a forum for Government and CSOs in Phnom Penh, and (ii) provincial dialogues in Kampong Cham, Siem Reap, Ratanakiri and Kampot. The facilitation aims to support Government institutions and CSOs to engage meaningfully by agreeing on the structure, policies and processes so as to establish concrete action, implementation and monitoring plans based on the identified needs.

“This August, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu visited Cambodia and stated that Japan would continue to support the democratic development in Cambodia. This clearly demonstrates Japan’s determination to deepen cooperation with various partners in this field. We always hope that all Cambodian people are united for the development of the nation through democratic processes and believe that it is essential for further advancing Cambodia’s efforts,“ stated H.E Masahiro Mikami, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

“As the country builds back better from COVID-19, inclusive civic engagement that takes advantage of Cambodia’s diverse civil society is more critical than ever. In partnership with the Government of Japan, UNDP supports the commitment of Government and civil society organizations to having inclusive and meaningful dialogues, paying particular attention to populations whose voices are not currently heard,” stated Nick Beresford, UNDP Resident Representative.

“Partnership is one of the requirements in contributing to the development of Cambodia for sustainable growth. The Royal Government of Cambodia always works in partnership with various stakeholders to achieve strategic plans and development goals,” stated H.E. Bun Honn, Secretary of State, Ministry of Interior.

“The Project for Building for Civic Engagement, Peace Building and Inclusive Dialogue toward Inclusive and Participatory Governance, co-financed by the Government of Japan and UNDP, is necessary for Cambodia; and  we have viewed that participating in the project will provide mutual benefits for impacting on Inclusive and Participatory Governance for Cambodia,” stated Mr. Sotha Ros, Senior Advisor, CHRAC.

ENDS