Phnom penh: Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has reaffirmed that the Royal Government has no plan to reduce or merge ministries, stressing that its current institutional reform focuses on strengthening the effectiveness of existing state institutions rather than expanding or restructuring them. The Prime Minister made the remarks this morning while presiding over the inauguration ceremony of three road sections in Kratie province, reconstructed and upgraded with financing from a concessional loan from the World Bank.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Royal Government's current reform approach is focused on strengthening existing institutions to ensure their effectiveness. Regarding state institutional reform, the Prime Minister stated that Cambodia would not simply copy approaches adopted by other countries, as some nations have chosen to reduce the number of ministries while others have expanded their ministerial structures.

Samdech Thipadei explained that administrative reform should not be measured simply by whether the number of ministries is increased or reduced. Rather, the key consideration should be whether government institutions are structured and managed effectively to respond to the country's actual needs. He noted that both the consolidation and expansion of ministries have their own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, decisions on institutional structures should take into account work efficiency, overlapping responsibilities, and potential challenges that could arise from structural changes.

The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of maintaining continuity among civil servants working within government institutions during the reform process. He explained that the focus should be on whether the ministries and institutions currently in place have been organized effectively, rather than on the number of ministries.

Samdech Thipadei stressed that the Royal Government is examining whether responsibilities among ministries overlap and whether the internal structures of individual institutions have been appropriately organized. He underscored that the reform agenda is centered on strengthening working systems, organizational structures, and human resources, rather than pursuing a policy of reducing or merging ministries.