Indonesia has opened applications for two fully funded scholarship programmes for Cambodian students and government officials in 2026, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening human capital development and deepening bilateral cooperation through education. “The Indonesia government announced that Cambodian citizens can now apply for the Kemitraan Negara Berkembang (KNB) Scholarship and the Indonesian AID Scholarship (TIAS), two flagship programmes aimed at expanding academic access and enhancing professional capacity,” explained the Indonesian embassy to Cambodia. The KNB Scholarship offers outstanding Cambodian students the opportunity to pursue Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees at leading universities across Indonesia. Applications are open until March 30.…
Author: Raksmey Hong
The Philippines, as current ASEAN chair, has begun consultations aimed at safeguarding the fragile ceasefire along the Cambodia–Thailand border. On February 23, foreign diplomats visited several illegally occupied parts of Banteay Meanchey province, where they witnessed the scale of displacement and destruction affecting thousands of Cambodian families. Philippines ambassador to Cambodia Flerida Ann Camille P. Mayo said Manila has initiated talks with both countries to strengthen the role of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) in maintaining the ceasefire and creating space for bilateral mechanisms to secure what she described as “durable peace”. “We hope for a peaceful resolution of the…
Months after fighting ended in Cambodia’s border areas, thousands of displaced families remain in sanctuaries across Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces, where uncertainty has become part of daily life. Among the most vulnerable are pregnant women, new mothers and young children whose health risks are rising as displacement drags on. In response, the German embassy in Phnom Penh has partnered with World Vision International in Cambodia to deliver critical nutrition and newborn care support to families who have yet to return home. “Valued at EUR 111,111.11 (approximately $129,254), the project targets 2,500 children under the…
Cambodia’s push to modernise upper secondary education is entering a deeper phase, as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport scale up nationwide reforms aimed at strengthening science and technology learning and narrowing long-standing quality gaps. At the centre of the effort is the Science and Technology Project in Upper Secondary Education, known as STEP UP, which has already supported 259 high schools through infrastructure upgrades, teacher training and new standards designed to improve STEM outcomes. During a recent visit to Net Yang Upper Secondary School — designated as a Secondary Resource Centre (SRC)…
The Cambodian government has formally protested what it described as “an unauthorised incursion” by the Thai Navy into Cambodian territorial waters. They demanded the return of three Cambodian fishermen and their seized boat. According to Thai media, Thailand’s First Naval Area Command reported the seizure of one Cambodian fishing boat at latitude 11°31.51’ N and longitude 102°53.40’ E, within Thai waters, on Sunday, February 22. It started that an inspection found three Cambodian crew members who were unable to communicate in Thai and had no identification documents or lawful vessel entry/exit paperwork. In a same-day February 22 press release, the…
Indonesia has stepped up its cultural diplomacy in Cambodia with the launch of a new culinary certification aimed at promoting authentic Indonesian cuisine, while supporting Cambodia’s growing Muslim-friendly tourism sector. Indonesian ambassador Santo Darmosumarto officially introduced the “Duta Rasa Nusantara” certificate — translated as the Ambassador of Indonesian Taste — during a February 19 ceremony in Phnom Penh. The event was attended by foreign diplomats and Cambodian business representatives. The initiative, introduced by the Indonesian embassy as part of its 2026 programmes, recognises Indonesian restaurants in Cambodia that actively promote the country’s rich culinary heritage through authentic recipes and traditional…
For nearly two decades, Siek Im carried the cost of water in ways most urban households no longer think about. Living in Chrab Krasang village, Wat Kor commune, she and her neighbours relied on water delivered by truck, paying 10,000 riel ($2.50) per load. Each month, her family used around four truckloads for cooking, bathing and washing clothes — a total of 40,000 riel ($10) — not including additional bottled water for drinking. Now, after almost 20 years without piped supply, clean water flows directly into her home. “I am very happy that we now get clean water at a…
Emerging EU due diligence regulations are being framed not as simple compliance obligations but as a strategic opportunity for Cambodian exporters to strengthen their global competitiveness, officials and industry representatives explained, during a February 17 workshop in Phnom Penh. The International Trade Centre (ITC) and EuroCham Cambodia hosted the full-day workshop, titled “Navigating Deforestation-Free Value Chains and Emerging Due Diligence Requirements”, at the Sun and Moon Riverside Hotel. The event was organised in coordination with the EU Delegation to Cambodia as part of the FIT for FAIR knowledge exchange initiative for 2025–2026. The discussions centred on the EU Deforestation Regulation…
For Nov Lorn, the National Solar Park is more than a symbol of Cambodia’s renewable energy ambitions. It is the reason three generations of his family now have stable employment. At 60 years old, Nov Lorn works as a construction labourer at the sprawling Kampong Chhnang province solar facility. His children joined the workforce during the installation phase. Even his grandchildren have taken up roles connected to the project. “Myself, my children and even my grandchildren are working here,” he said. “Before this, we depended on farming and small jobs. It was not steady. Now we have regular income.” Located…
Cambodia’s ambition to strengthen energy security and accelerate its transition toward clean power took a major step forward with the National Solar Park in Kampong Chhnang province, a 100-megawatt facility that began contributing to lower electricity costs and reduced reliance on imported energy when it began full-scale operations in late 2024. The project marked Cambodia’s first large-scale competitive solar tender and represents a landmark partnership between the public and private sectors, with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). “One fourth of Phnom Penh’s power is supplied from this solar park,” said Praing Chulasa, managing director of Electricite du…