Excellency Koeut Rith, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and Chair of NADR 
Excellency Chhin Malin, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice and Vice-Chair of NADR
Excellency Nhean Vannak, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice and Chief of the DMP Cabinet
Excellency Porch Sophorn, Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice and Member of NADR
Excellency Khlok Dara, Director General of the General Department of International Affairs and Justice Sector Development and Member of NADR
Excellency Yom Phearot, Director General of the General Department of Civil Affairs and Member of NADR
Distinguished guests, colleagues, ladies, and gentlemen

Good morning. Chum reap sour. 

Today, the Ministry of Justice and UNDP are revitalizing their long-standing partnership and refocusing it on strengthening the rule of law and access to justice in Cambodia. 

The MOU we are signing today sets the partnership framework between the Ministry of Justice and UNDP. It aligns perfectly with the Royal Government of Cambodia's Pentagonal Strategy Phase I which recognizes the essential role of the rule of law and access to justice for accelerating economic and social progress.  

By supporting access, inclusiveness, gender sensitivity, efficiency, and transparency of judicial and non-judicial services, we aim to contribute to peace, justice, and strong institutions which are prerequisites for prosperity and for achieving the Kingdom’s development ambitions. In the short run, our joint efforts will concentrate on expanding awareness, access, and capabilities of the National Authority for Alternative Dispute Resolution (NADR), namely, through capacity development and improving Alternative Dispute Resolution, particularly for vulnerable persons, indigenous people, and in isolated communities. We will also support legal public education and awareness raising, strengthening the national legal aid system leveraging technological solutions, and developing capacities for gender-sensitive justice. 

We hope that these areas will support your reform efforts and making justice services more accessible and equitable for all Cambodians, particularly the most vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, and other marginalized groups. 

UNDP is not new to this line of work. UNDP is actively involved in similar initiatives worldwide, and in the Asia and Pacific region specifically, and we have seen its many benefits for social and economic development. Across the region, we have successfully implemented similar initiatives applying an integrated approach combining people-centred approaches, innovation, and the use of technology to improve legal services and increase public trust in the justice system. This positions UNDP to draw on and apply the most suitable international best practices and mobilize resources that would ensure that our efforts here in Cambodia are efficient, effective, gender-responsive, and sustainable.

Excellencies, colleagues, ladies, and gentlemen

In closing, I would like to thank, Excellency Minister, for his strategic guidance and his team’s diligent follow-up over the past few months to make this MoU a reality. We look forward to working alongside the Ministry of Justice to achieve our shared goals and build a more just and equitable Cambodia.

Som Arkun.