EU and Civil Society Launch $3.8M Initiative to Boost Budget Transparency in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, August 13, 2025 — The European Union and a coalition of civil society organizations officially launched a new €3.5 million initiative aimed at strengthening civic engagement and public financial oversight in Cambodia. The three-year project, titled Strengthening Civic Engagement and Oversight in Public Financial Management (SCOPE-PFM), will run through May 2028 and is led by Oxfam in partnership with Advocacy and Policy Institute, NGO Forum, and SILAKA.

The launch event brought together senior government officials, development partners, and civil society leaders to reaffirm their shared commitment to fiscal transparency and citizen participation.

“Promoting transparency and accountability in budget management has long been a priority for the Ministry of Economy and Finance,” said H.E. Soksensan Meas, Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary-General of Cambodia’s Public Financial Management Reform Committee. He credited the EU and NGO Forum for their support in improving Cambodia’s score in the Open Budget Survey (OBS), which rose from 33 in 2021 to 43 in 2023.

Bryan Fornari, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Cambodia, emphasized that the SCOPE-PFM initiative reflects a broader push toward inclusive governance. “Empowering citizens to take part in the management of public resources is essential to building public trust and improving the quality of public services,” he said.

Sophoan Phean, National Director of Oxfam in Cambodia, echoed the sentiment, noting that “democratic governance begins with the power of informed and engaged citizens.” She described the project as a platform to amplify public voices and foster dialogue among stakeholders to ensure that public resources serve the public good.

The initiative builds on the Royal Government’s Public Financial Management Reform Program (PFMRP), launched in 2004. The reform has modernized Cambodia’s tax and customs systems, expanded the tax base, and introduced digital tools like the Financial Management Information System (FMIS) to streamline treasury operations, procurement, and financial reporting.

Despite these gains, Cambodia continues to face challenges in budget transparency and public scrutiny. SCOPE-PFM aims to close these gaps by enhancing civic participation, reinforcing oversight mechanisms, and promoting collaborative governance across government, civil society, and development partners.

The launch event also served as a forum to define stakeholder roles, encourage feedback, and identify opportunities for meaningful engagement tailored to local contexts and community priorities.