- Excellencies, Heads of Civil Service of ASEAN Member States and The Plus Three Countries;
- His Excellency Dr. KAO Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN;
- Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen!
At the outset, it is my great pleasure to join you in the Opening Ceremony of the Heads of Civil Service Meetings for the 23rd ACCSM and the 8th ACCSM+3, convened under the theme “Innovation for Better Service Delivery”.
On behalf of the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia, it is my great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to all distinguished delegates to the historic city of Siem Reap – Angkor.
Cambodia takes pride in assuming the Chairmanship of ACCSM and hosting the ACCSM meetings for the second time. I extend my profound appreciation to the Ministry of Civil Service of Cambodia, all ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Secretariat, and our steadfast Plus Three partners—the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea—for their unwavering commitment to elevating regional cooperation on public administration.
This Meeting is an important platform for candid, strategic, and forward-looking dialogue on the progress we have made, opportunities we have before us, and the pressing challenges we are facing in our civil service sector.
Our collective mission unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly shifting global landscape characterized by increased economic volatility, intensified geopolitical competition, and severe climate realities. Such landscape requires all countries, including ASEAN Member States, the Plus Three Countries and Cambodia, to continue strengthening capacity to deliver quality public services while adapting national priorities and development strategies.
To tackle these pressing challenges requires professional, capable, and dedicated civil servants with the competence, integrity, and commitment to serve the nation and its people as we press ahead with the implementation of Public Administration Reform (PAR).
Across the globe, three transformative trends are reshaping public administration, albeit at different levels and paces.
First, evolving citizen expectations: Citizens increasingly expect public services that are responsive, easily accessible, and transparent. Public trust is also increasingly tied to integrity, professional ethics, and transparency.
Second, digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Governments are adopting digital technologies and data-driven systems to enhance service delivery to citizens. This shift requires new digital capacities among officials, as well as the responsible, inclusive, and accountable use of technology.
Third, competition for human resources: Public institutions face growing competition from the private sector for top-tier talent. This reality necessitates modernized, merit-based recruitment, flexible career progression, and strategic human capital development.
These structural trends underscore the vital importance of multilateral platforms, such as the ACCSM framework. As His Excellency HUN Many, Chair of the Meetings emphasized, I am truly delighted with the progress achieved under the ACCSM and ACCSM+3 Work Plans 2021-2025. I welcome the formulation of the ACCSM and ACCSM+3 Work Plans 2026-2030, the ASEAN Statement on Promoting Innovation for Better Public Service Delivery, as well as the other key milestones such as the Terms of Reference (TOR) of ACCSM and the Rules of Procedure (ROP) of the ACCSM+3 Senior Officials Meeting.
I cannot emphasize enough that Cambodia strongly supports and remains committed to working closely with all ASEAN Member States, the Plus Three Countries and dialogue partners to transform these documents into concrete actions. Furthermore, Cambodia takes pride in assuming the rotating Convenor of the ASEAN Network of Public Service Training Institutes for the 2027-2028 term. I entrust the Royal School of Administration together with all relevant stakeholders to concretize this important task.
- Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
Cambodia’s public administration reform is rooted in a unique journey – of recovery, nation-building and peacebuilding. Following the near-total destruction of its institutions under the Khmer Rouge, the nation began rebuilding from scratch after 7 January 1979 by mobilizing the country’s remaining human resources and intellects.
This recovery culminated in the historic Win-Win Policy of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, which brought an end to decades of civil conflict on 29 December 1998. The hard-won peace has become the cornerstone of Cambodia’s stability, providing the vital bedrock for modern public administration, national reconstruction, and long-term economic development.
That journey of recovery and peace is the foundation from which Cambodia’s reform efforts have grown, and it continues to shape the philosophy that guides us today. In advancing public administration reform, Cambodia’s overarching philosophy is always about the welfare of the Nation and the People. Although we come from different countries, I strongly believe that our core principle is the same, that is: “To devote ourselves to serving the people with unwavering sincerity.”
For the current government, “Governance and Reforms” form the nucleus of our national development agenda under the Pentagonal Strategy – Phase I, which focuses on five strategic priorities—People, Roads, Water, Electricity, and Technology. Translating this vision into action requires a public administration capable of delivering on these priorities with greater strength, intelligence, and integrity. In order to build a public administration that is more capable, stronger, smarter and cleaner, the Government is implementing three key reform measures:
First, the country has strengthened the civil service recruitment system to be merit-based, transparent, fair, inclusive, and efficient through the successful application of a precise Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Second, it has enhanced institutional capacity and performance to improve work quality with discipline, ethics, professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness, highlighted by an in-depth functional review and the establishment of a Secretary-General Network to reinforce coordination among ministries and institutions.
Third, Cambodia has improved the performance-based incentive system to ensure consistency, equity, and efficiency, featuring clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) designed to motivate civil servants to work faster, more efficiently, and proactively in service delivery, particularly within priority sectors such as education and health.
Public administration reform sits at the core of effective governance. In Cambodia, it stands as one of five major cross-cutting reforms—alongside public financial management, decentralization and deconcentration, judicial reform, and legal reform—that are integral to the Cambodia 2050 Vision. Together, these strategic efforts have already delivered substantial progress by elevating the quality of civil service recruitment, strengthening institutional performance and professional standards, and establishing a more effective, performance-oriented incentive system.
- Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
I am encouraged by the progress achieved through the ACCSM and ACCSM+3, as well as by this year’s theme, “Innovation for Better Service Delivery.” To maximize the impact of the 23rd ACCSM and 8th ACCSM+3 deliberations, I wish to share a few reflections which I believe could help orient the role of innovation in the public service sector.
First, innovation must adopt a people-centred approach that goes beyond digital transformation to address citizens’ actual needs. Public services should be result-based and they should be delivered with ease, equity, and inclusiveness—leaving no one behind—at both national and regional levels.
By prioritizing long-term vision over short-term convenience, we build public trust through sound decisions that put the people’s interests first.
Second, innovation must rest upon the foundation of institutional capacity and human resources. Recognizing ASEAN’s diverse development levels, our goal is to narrow the gap and ensure each country adopts new technologies—particularly AI—at a sustainable pace. Because technology cannot operate independently of the human factor, digital adoption must go hand in hand with continuous investment in human capital, leadership development, and integrity. Ultimately, true innovation in governance relies on strengthening institutions and human capital rather than digital tools alone because this endeavor demands integrity; no digital platform can replace the ethics, transparency, and professionalism that form the true foundations of public trust.
Third, innovation must build collective regional resilience. Because global challenges cannot be solved in isolation, we must strengthen cross-border cooperation within ASEAN. Innovation should extend beyond internal efficiency to include knowledge sharing, mutual support, and collaborative adaptation. In this effort, ACCSM must remain a vital platform for mutual learning, empowering member states to collaborate, harmonize policies, and build shared capacity for common challenges.
- Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
The challenges we face recognize no boundaries, and so our response must be equally borderless. Grounded in the spirit of ‘The ASEAN Way’ — one built on consultation, consensus, and solidarity as one community — we must combine our efforts, turning each nation’s individual experience into a powerful, shared force that drives the region forward through deeper cooperation and shared responsibility.
The ACCSM and ACCSM+3 meetings must remain active in translating statements and work plans into tangible actions, and to uphold shared accountability in delivering results, with the purpose of enhancing the quality and efficiency of public service delivery to our peoples, in support of the ASEAN Community building efforts.
As we look beyond the immediate horizon, let us embrace a shared vision for the future of our public institutions. Together, let us strengthen regional cooperation, foster a culture of innovation and excellence, and build civil services that are agile, resilient, future-ready and dedicated to improving the lives of our peoples.
I sincerely hope that the exchanges and policy dialogues held over the past two days, and today, would help deepen our mutual understanding, encourage the sharing of experiences and best practices, and strengthen collaboration among our civil service institutions.
In closing, I wish the Meetings a great success. I also extend to all participants, my warmest wishes of good health, continued success, and pleasant and memorable stay in Siem Reap. I encourage you to take the opportunity to enjoy Cambodia’s warm hospitality, as well as the lush beauty of our Green Season — a time when the cozy city, rice fields, temples, and countryside come alive in vivid shades of green, offering a truly refreshing and memorable experience of our country’s natural and cultural charm.
May I now declare the opening of the Heads of Civil Service Meetings for the 23rd ACCSM and the 8th ACCSM+3.
Thank You!
