Cambodia Steps Up Public Administration Reform to Boost Investment Climate

PHNOM PENH, Mar. 5, 2026 (KPT) – Cambodia is accelerating public administration reforms to strengthen its investment climate and improve competitiveness, Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many said Wednesday.

Speaking at the Cambodia–ASEAN Business Summit, Hun Many said the government is transforming state institutions to better support investors and businesses across the region. He stressed that reforms are central to the Pentagonal Strategy – Phase I, launched by Prime Minister Hun Manet, and aim to reduce bureaucratic barriers, enhance efficiency and create a more predictable business environment.

The program includes merit-based recruitment, with 23 standardized exams held since the start of the current mandate, bringing in 8,751 civil servants from nearly 290,000 applicants. It also focuses on streamlining ministries, eliminating overlaps, and accelerating digitalization of public services to cut processing times.

A performance-based incentive system is being introduced to improve accountability and service delivery. “These reforms are not just administrative tweaks,” Hun Many said. “They are a fundamental modernization of the Cambodian state.”