AKP Phnom Penh, February 05, 2026 --

Cambodia’s Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to sharpen the nation’s economic competitiveness.

In a high-level meeting held Wednesday at the Ministry’s headquarters, Labour Minister Heng Sour met with Ms. Yasmin Siddiqi, ADB Country Director for Cambodia, to discuss strategic pathways for scaling human capital development.

The talks focused on deepening private sector engagement in skills training and refining the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism—a system designed to formally certify workers who have acquired skills through informal experience.

"The long-standing partnership with the ADB remains instrumental in our mission to build a high-quality workforce," H.E. Minister said, emphasising the need for robust policy frameworks to meet evolving market demands.

Ms. Siddiqi commended the Royal Government of Cambodia’s progress in vocational education, noting that enhancing labour productivity and workforce resilience is critical for the Kingdom's long-term growth. She confirmed that the ADB would continue to provide both financial and technical assistance to support the Ministry’s strategic goals and Cambodia’s broader national development agenda.

The collaboration comes as Cambodia seeks to transition from labour-intensive industries to a more skill-driven economy, aiming to attract higher-value foreign direct investment through a more capable and certified workforce.

By K. Rithy Reak