AKP Phnom Penh, February 12, 2026 —

Cambodia and Germany have committed to bolstering bilateral cooperation in labour, social security, and vocational training, following high-level talks held on the sidelines of an international summit in Paris.

The pledge was made during a meeting on Wednesday between Cambodian Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, H.E. Heng Sour, and H.E. Ms. Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The discussions took place at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) headquarters, where the Cambodian delegation is attending a forum on compliance within the global garment and footwear sectors.

Both officials lauded the impact of existing partnerships on Cambodia’s social security and technical education frameworks. Moving forward, the two nations agreed to expand their joint efforts in several critical areas: Scaling up industrial output and efficiency; Modernising vocational training to meet evolving market needs; Strengthening the roles of both employer organisations and labour unions.

The meeting also addressed the challenges of industrial relations, with both parties emphasising the need for professional dialogue to ensure sustainable growth.

Germany remains a vital partner in Cambodia’s push to align its workforce and social safety nets with international standards.

By K. Rithy Reak