Looking Back, Moving Ahead
Dear Partners, Colleagues, and Friends, It is my pleasure to share the second and final edition of our 2025 Quarterly Newsletter, as we reflect on what we have achieved together. Throughout this edition, you’ll see how partnership continues to drive progress—from inclusive development to climate action and social protection across Cambodia. The quarter was marked by the visit of Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, which reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to advancing green and inclusive development in Cambodia and strengthened dialogue on regional priorities. This period also marked an important moment for UNDP as we warmly welcomed our new Administrator, Mr. Alexander De Croo. As we close 2025 and step into 2026, I thank all our partners and colleagues for your continued collaboration and trust. I look forward to our continued partnership and wish you all the very best for the year ahead. Happy reading!
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Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, undertook an official mission to Cambodia from 5–9 December, during which she met with senior government leaders, including the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; the Senior Minister in charge of Special Missions and Second Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia; the Permanent Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Minister of Environment; the Minister of Health; the Minister of Labour and Vocational Training; and the Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia. Discussions focused on strengthening partnerships for sustainable financing, social protection, digital transformation, and health system resilience. She also met with development partners and civil society to discuss shared priorities for sustainable growth and collaboration under the UNDP Country Programme for Cambodia (2024–2028). Further details are available in the news, videos, and partnership section below.
Cambodia Launches the Graduation-Based Social Protection Programme in Kampong Chhnang and Preah Vihear Provinces National Bank of Cambodia and United Nations Development Programme Sign MoU to Strengthen Cambodia’s Path toward a Resilient Financial System Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and UNDP Sign MoU to Modernize Pension Fund Governance for Inclusive Growth Health Ministry, UNDP Sign Deal to Modernise Healthcare
Ms. Kanni Wignaraja Talks About Being Back in Cambodia Ms. Kanni Wignaraja's Day 1 in Cambodia Ms. Kanni Wignaraja's Day 2 in Cambodia A Quick Glimpse of Kulen National Park with Ms. Kanni Wignaraja In Conversation with Minister of Environment: A Living Landscape of Nature, Culture, and Livelihoods Dialogue on Disability Inclusion Ms. Kanni Wignaraja Meets H.E. Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth for Strategic Discussions The launch of the Graduation-Based Social Protection Programme Partnerships Signed With NBC, MoH & MLVT Ms. Kanni Wignaraja Sits Down with Mr. Enrico Gaveglia to Reflect on Her Visit
We sincerely thank the Royal Government of Cambodia 🇰🇭 for its leadership and close collaboration during the official mission of Ms. Kanni Wignaraja and appreciate the valuable engagement of development partners from Australia 🇦🇺, the European Union 🇪🇺, France 🇫🇷, Japan 🇯🇵, the United Kingdom 🇬🇧, and SDC 🇨🇭.
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National Labour Economics Conference 2025
On 15–16 December, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, with support from UNDP, ILO, and other partners, hosted the Labour Economics Conference 2025 under the theme “Shaping the Future of Work: Skills, Employment and Social Protection for a Resilient Labour Market in Cambodia.” The conference was chaired by Excellency Dr. Aun PornmMoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Finance, and focused on promoting inclusive and sustainable labour market solutions.
Climate Venture Scaler Roadshows
With support from the Governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Norway, UNDP launched the Climate Venture Scaler programme and convened its national roadshow on 11 December 2025. The roadshow brought together government representatives, financial institutions, investors, development partners, and growth-stage climate ventures to strengthen Cambodia’s ecosystem for inclusive impact entrepreneurship. The Climate Venture Scaler is a flagship initiative under UNDP’s Climate Finance Network, with the Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) engaged as the implementing partner. The programme is designed to support high-potential climate ventures across Southeast Asia, with an initial focus on Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Malaysia, by strengthening their business models and financial readiness.
One Person, One Identity
The Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Identification, UNDP, and Vital Strategies co-organized the national consultation workshop on the draft National Strategic Plan for Identification, Phase II (2026–2035), which took place on 24 November 2025 and was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, H.E. Sar Sokha.
Cambodian Delegation Completes Study Tour on India’s Digital ID Systems
An eight-member delegation from Cambodia’s Identification Directorate at the Ministry of Interior undertook a week-long study tour in India aimed at strengthening Cambodia’s national identification and civil registration systems. The visit, facilitated by UNDP in India and UNDP in Cambodia, focused on learning from India’s large-scale digital identity ecosystem, particularly the Aadhaar programme and related digital public infrastructure.
UNDP and FAO Partnership
UNDP and FAO signed a partnership agreement for the Community Action for Sustainable Forests (CASFor) project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, to strengthen community-based forest management and climate action across Cambodia. CASFor works with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, UNDP, FAO, the Wildlife Conservation Society and RECOFTC to support 86,000+ people in 150 communities to conserve forests, build climate resilience and improve livelihoods — contributing directly to Cambodia’s climate mitigation goals.
Mine Action Technical Working Group Meeting
On October 16, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority and UNDP co-led the 2025 Technical Working Group on Mine Action, signifying the importance of collective action and long-term partnerships toward a mine-free Cambodia by 2030.
Clearing for Results Phase IV: Mine Action for Human Development (2020–2025)
Launched in 2020, Clearing for Results Phase IV has been the flagship platform supporting the Royal Government of Cambodia’s national goal of becoming mine-free by 2030. The project builds on three previous phases (2006–2019) and continues the shift from purely humanitarian demining to mine action for human development—ensuring that cleared land contributes directly to poverty reduction, agricultural growth, and local resilience. These achievements have been made possible thanks to the generous support of the governments of Australia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.
Clean Energy Week 2025: Unlocking a Clean Energy Economy
On 2 October 2025, representatives of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Australian Embassy, and UNDP joined EnergyLab Asia to launch Cambodia’s largest clean energy event, Clean Energy Week 2025. Under the theme “Unlocking a Clean Energy Economy”, the week-long series of events running 2-9 October focused on the vital role that clean energy can play in securing the country’s economic future. The event was also co-funded by Climate Network Foundation, the British Embassy, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Oxfam, and the Liechtenstein Development Service, and sponsored by TotalEnergies and Verywords.
Building Your Climate Knowledge
Check out a series of videos explaining climate terms, presented by a youth climate expert: Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
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A Lesson from Nature: How It Invests in Itself by Regenerating at Its Own Pace
Kulen Mountain holds stories shaped by nature and culture—of everyday life, livelihoods rooted in the land, and the renewal that comes when nature is given time to heal. In the video, Mr. Enrico Gaveglia shares a story from the heart of the jungle.
Empowering the Frontliners: Building a Resilient Cambodia in the Face of Climate Change
Since 2024, UNDP, together with the National Committee for Disaster Management and People in Need, has been strengthening community resilience through the regional project “Enhancing Integrated Water Management and Climate Resilience in Vulnerable Urban Areas of the Mekong River Basin,” funded by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea. Read how we work to support communities in building resilience in the face of climate change.
Discover Teuk Chob Khnar Po: Community-Led Ecotourism in Siem Reap
UNDP in Cambodia, with support from the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, partnered with Teuk Chub Khna Po and Changkran Roy to protect forests and strengthen sustainable livelihoods. Communities receive training in ecotourism, social media, and mushroom cultivation as part of strategic capacity building targeting improved forest management and more inclusive local governance.
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What We Think...
Sovereign Forests, Sovereign Finance: An Opportunity for Sustainable Development in Cambodia
From mountains to mangroves, Cambodia’s forests protect lives, livelihoods, and climate resilience. As the world races to close the climate finance gap, they also offer a growing opportunity to turn conservation into real economic returns. Read an op-ed by Ms. Kanni Wignaraja and Mr. Enrico Gaveglia.
How Cambodia Can Turn Climate Challenges Into Opportunities for Development
In an exclusive appearance on Khmer Times’ Crosstalk programme, Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, shared insights on how Cambodia can achieve its development ambitions while confronting some of the world’s most intense climate change pressures.
A Catalogue of Circular Solutions
UNDP, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic through the Czech-UNDP Challenge Fund, the Embassy of Japan in Cambodia, and the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership, has been supporting Cambodia on its pathway toward achieving the vision of the Circular Strategy on Environment 2023–2028 for a “clean, green, and sustainable” Cambodia. This vision recognizes that the effective management of land, water, minerals, and forests must advance economic development while also responding to emerging climate-related challenges. Using an integrated Circular Economy Portfolio approach structured around three pillars—(1) enabling governance, (2) circular business models, and (3) conscious consumers and citizens—UNDP has collected a range of good examples of circular solutions across various sectors over the years, which are highlighted in this blog.
Carbon-Neutral Koh Sralao Project Launched
Cambodia is to launch a pilot project to transform Koh Sralao into a carbon-neutral island. UNDP in Cambodia Environmental Program Specialist Shifaz Ahmed sees the initiative as an opportunity to demonstrate Cambodia’s climate ambition.
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Publications
Clearing for Results Phase IV: Mine Action for Human Development (2020–2025)
Read the factsheet for key results and insights from Clearing for Results Phase IV.
Social Behavioural Research on Women in the Informal Economy in Cambodia
In close coordination with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, UNDP undertook this research, which looks closely at why most women in Cambodia work in the informal economy. It finds that women’s job choices are influenced not only by their skills or access to employment, but also by strong cultural beliefs. These include expectations that women should take care of family members, engage in certain types of “suitable” work, and prefer jobs that offer flexible hours and quick pay. Even though formal jobs can provide benefits such as social security and financial independence, many women choose to avoid them.
Cambodia Launches the Carbon Registry
Congratulations to the Ministry of Environment on launching the Cambodia Carbon Registry (CCR), a major milestone in advancing the country’s carbon market and climate transparency. The new system helps Cambodia track and manage projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions in five key areas: energy, industry, agriculture, forestry, and waste. The CCR will also support Cambodia’s work under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which allows countries to work together and trade carbon credits to meet their climate goals more effectively.
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