AKP Phnom Penh, February 21, 2025 --

H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, received at the ministry on Thursday a delegation from the German Senate Chancellery and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) to discuss enhancing cooperation in digitalisation and technological adoption in Cambodia.

According to the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI), during the meeting, H.E. Minister shared with the delegation about Cambodia's commitment to digital transformation, highlighting MISTI's efforts in digitalising public services and assisting SMEs in adopting new technologies.

"Going digital is not an end, but a means to achieve Cambodia’s development goals. Despite challenges, digitalisation is the foundation for our socio-economic future"

He noted that digitalisation also presents significant challenges, including fake news, scams, and cybersecurity threats, which require prioritising ethics and governance. "One thing for sure is we can’t avoid technology, and we must manage it to our benefit," he added.

H.E. Martina Klement, Secretary of State for Digitalisation in Berlin, shared insights from Germany’s experience in advancing digitalisation and tackling challenges. Germany exemplifies a digital society with widespread technology adoption and strong digital infrastructure.

She said unlike Cambodia, Berlin is facing an aging society and is expected to lose about 30 percent of its administration staff by 2030. Utilising technologies like AI and digital solutions to streamline government processes and improve service delivery is a key strategy to address this gap.

Both parties expressed a strong commitment to strengthening cooperation under the existing Memorandum of Understanding between MISTI and KAS.

AKP