Cambodia, UNDP Strengthen Partnership to Advance Climate‑Resilient Rural Development

PHNOM PENH, June 8, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia and the United Nations Development Programme have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on rural development, with a focus on climate resilience, sustainable growth and improving living conditions in rural communities, officials said Monday.

Rural Development Minister Chhay Rithisen met UNDP Resident Representative Enrico Gaveglia, who paid his first official visit to the ministry since assuming his post in 2025.

Rithisen outlined Cambodia’s progress under the Pentagon Strategy‑Phase I and the National Policy on Rural Development 2025–2035, which aims to build prosperous, inclusive and sustainable rural communities as part of the Vision 2050 agenda.

He also sought UNDP’s technical assistance in preparing documentation to access financing from the Global Environment Facility for a proposed “Climate‑Resilient Model Villages in Coastal Provinces” project. The initiative is intended to strengthen resilience to climate change while promoting sustainable development in coastal regions.

Gaveglia reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to mobilizing resources and providing technical expertise, saying the agency looks forward to supporting Cambodia’s efforts to accelerate rural development in line with the Pentagon Strategy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Both sides expressed confidence that stronger collaboration would help advance rural transformation, improve livelihoods and promote climate‑resilient development across Cambodia’s countryside.