AKP Phnom Penh, August 14, 2026 -- Minister of Labour and Vocational Training H.E. Heng Sour received here on Aug. 14 Ms. Sonya Elmer Dettelbacher, newly appointed Deputy Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Cambodia, to discuss the Ministry’s priorities and strategic directions, as well as recent developments in labour and vocational training.

H.E. Heng Sour warmly welcomed Ms. Dettelbacher to her new position and expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership between Cambodia and Switzerland, particularly through SDC-supported development projects. He expressed hope that the new SDC leadership would further strengthen cooperation and ensure that ongoing joint projects deliver greater effectiveness and impact, especially in human capital development.

The Minister highlighted the close link between economic growth and human resource development, stressing that sustainable economic growth requires a skilled, productive, competitive and inclusive workforce. He underscored the important role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), particularly in reskilling and upskilling low- and middle-skilled workers, while noting the Government’s focus on young people from poor and vulnerable families, school dropouts and returning migrant workers.

Cambodia is also working to improve the quality of TVET and strengthen partnerships with qualified private-sector institutions through work-based learning and apprenticeships. The country is committed to promoting safe and legal skilled migration, protecting the rights and interests of migrant workers, and supporting the productive reintegration of returning migrant workers. H.E. Heng Sour also highlighted the implementation of new education pathways that provide flexible learning opportunities aligned with students’ abilities, needs and career goals, while welcoming innovative approaches and new forms of cooperation to help workers adapt to changing economic structures.

For her part, Ms. Dettelbacher thanked the Minister for the productive discussion and commended the long-standing cooperation between SDC and the Ministry, as well as Cambodia’s clear and forward-looking development vision. She reaffirmed the importance of continued close collaboration to support Cambodia’s development efforts, particularly in labour and vocational training.

H.E. Heng Sour expressed confidence that the Cambodia-Switzerland partnership would continue to deepen and expand based on mutual trust, respect and a shared commitment to sustainable and inclusive development, bringing long-term benefits to the Cambodian people and workers and contributing to national development priorities.

By C. Nika