Prime Minister Hun Manet stressed the importance of strengthening, rather than expansion, government ministries and institutions, noting that they should be rationalized for better efficiency.
He shared his remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of March 20 of the Ministry of Public Service.
“The approach to strengthening rather than expansion consists in examining the organizational structure, adjusting roles and responsibilities to avoid overlap and store the operations of each ministry,” he said.
“This requires re-examining and deploying civil servants to ensure that their roles and work are aligned with the responsibilities of the ministry,” he added.
In January 2025, Cambodia had more than 230,000 civil servants, with 54,585 serving at the national level and 177,449 at the inf-national level.
Instead of requesting expansion, each ministry is responsible for strengthening its institutions to improve efficiency and improving the services they provide to the public.
The Prime Minister has encouraged the greatest use of digital systems, stressing that the government offers more than 3,000 services, with documents such as identity cards, family cards and birth certificates used in several organizations.
He urged ministries and institutions to analyze their functions and make adjustments.
For example, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has reduced departments that are not fully operational and have merged certain functions with other departments.
“Public administration reform is at the heart of government efficiency efforts,” said Manet.
He noted that it is not an isolated effort of Cambodia; Many countries adopt similar approaches.
“At least six countries reforming their administrations are powerful savings with greater economies than ours,” he said.
He mentioned the United States, where the Trump administration has reduced the federal workforce by more than 200,000 civil servants and plans to abolish the United States Ministry of Education, leaving state education services to manage education.
Recently, the United Kingdom has announced a 50% reduction in the number of units under the National Health Service, from 13,000 to 6,000.
“Half of the staff will not have to come to work tomorrow. The United States has cut 200,000 people. Tomorrow, they will not come to work. That’s it,” he added.
He also noted that the employees of certain organizations, such as USAID, Radio Free Asia and VOA, were invited not to go to work due to reductions in public spending under the Trump administration, in particular with regard to American interests.
The Federal Government of Pakistan plans to reduce 150,000 civil servants, while Malaysia eliminates three ministries, adjusting five others and reducing seven ministries, as well as retirement more than 30,000 officials early.
The Prime Minister also noted that Vietnam had reduced the number of ministries and institutions from 30 to 22 at the national level, adjusted the subnational level and planned to reduce the number of civil servants by 100,000.
“Vietnam also plans to eliminate districts, leaving only the municipalities and the provinces at work directly. Argentina has reduced 30,000 civil servants and plans to reduce this number of 70,000 others,” he said.
He explained that these countries have all adopted a consolidation approach, but Cambodia has followed a different model, focusing on strengthening rather than growth for more than a year.
This approach prevents unnecessary expansion in sectors that are not essential, except in education, health and agriculture.
The Prime Minister also recalled a proposal to merge three ministries: the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology and the Ministry of Rural Development.
However, he would not follow the example of other countries, he rather encouraged the three to cooperate effectively in the execution of their work.
“We do not combine ministries and institutions as some have suggested. But we need their roles and organizational responsibilities clearly, effectively coordinated and improve the synergy of the three ministries, “he said.
“Where there is overlap, we must merge; Where there is no cooperation, we should strengthen collaboration, “he continued.
