The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is deepening its partnership with Cambodia by supporting capacity building in two critical areas: public procurement and the Bio-Circular Green (BCG) economy.
The KOICA Cambodia Office recently conducted a pre-departure orientation for selected officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, who will participate in two specialised training programs in South Korea.
“Twenty Cambodian officials will attend the ‘Capacity Building on Public Procurement in Cambodia (2023–2025)’ programme from August 17 to 30,” according to KOICA.
The training aims to improve the transparency and efficiency of Cambodia’s e-procurement system by introducing Korean best practices and enhancing the technical and institutional capacity of public procurement officers.
In addition, three participants will join the “Capacity Building on the Bio-Circular Green (BCG) Economy for Resilient and Sustainable Manufacturing (2024–2025)” programme, from August 24 to September 6.
“This training will focus on promoting sustainable manufacturing and economic resilience through the BCG model — an integrated approach that emphasizes sustainability, innovation and circular resource use in key industrial sectors.
“These programmes align with Cambodia’s national strategies on digital governance and environmental sustainability, contributing to the country’s broader efforts to improve public sector efficiency and foster a green economy,” said KOICA.
In her opening remarks, Lee Sejin, deputy director of the KOICA Cambodia Office, congratulated the participants and underscored the critical role of capacity building in advancing Cambodia’s development priorities.
She reaffirmed KOICA’s long-term commitment to human resource development across sectors including public finance, health, education, agriculture and infrastructure.
During the orientation, participants received comprehensive briefings on KOICA’s programs in Cambodia, travel logistics and expectations for their training in Korea.
The session also introduced the Cambodia-Korea Alumni Association (CAMKAA), which supports continued professional exchange post-training.
Ethical guidelines, including a session on the Code of Conduct and prevention of sexual harassment, were also highlighted.
Dy Sophion, deputy chief of the General Department of Public Procurement (GDPP) at the finance ministry and a KOICA alumnus from 2024, shared his personal experience, emphasising how the training enriched his professional capacity and strengthened cooperation with his South Korean counterparts.
He also spoke of the cultural insights gained during his stay.
Representatives from the ministry provided an overview of Cambodia’s ongoing reforms in public procurement and introduced the government’s vision for implementing the BCG economy framework.
Participants expressed their appreciation to KOICA and South Korea for their continued support, reaffirming their readiness to apply the knowledge gained to further Cambodia’s sustainable development goals.
