AKP Phnom Penh, September 09, 2020 --

Cambodia and Switzerland have been committed to continue working together to build human resources through vocational training projects, focused by both sides in their policies and strategies.

The commitment was underlined here this morning in the meeting between Cambodian Minister of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT) H.E. Ith Samheng and Mr. Markus Buerli, newly appointed Director of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

On the occasion, both sides expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of their good cooperation and pledged to continue expanding their collaboration.

They laid stress on the importance of vocational skills as according to its experience, Switzerland has quickly became a developed country because two-thirds of its young population have first entered vocational trainings to grasp job opportunities before pursuing their higher studies.

H.E. Ith Samheng thanked the SDC for its financial and technical support for various projects in Cambodia, especially those with priority on human resource building in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

H.E. Minister also highlighted the potential of agricultural sector, besides industry and services, in generating jobs for millions of people. Therefore, increasing training in this field is very necessary to meet the labour market demand, he added.

According to the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, the first phase of Skills Development Project (SDP) funded by SDC from 2016 to 2020 was completed with success in increasing income and creating decent jobs for youths, both men and women, in three targeted provinces: Kratie, Stung Treng, and Preah Vihear, and in forming a well-coordinated, responsive and inclusive TVET system.

The second phase of SDP which will last from July 2020 to June 2024 has a primary purpose of creating job opportunity for vulnerable young men and women and low-skilled workers/employees and of making TVET system more effective in five targeted provinces, including Kratie, Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Mondulkiri, and Rattanakiri.

SDC has so far supported a joint project between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United Nations on youth employment, which ended successfully, and continued to support the second phase of the project for 2020-2023 aiming to promote decent employment for Cambodian youth. Moreover, SDC also funded a project of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to protect migrant workers, called PROMISE.

(Photo: Ministry of Labour)

By Phal Sophanith