The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training of the Royal Government of Cambodia, in collaboration with the United Nations in Cambodia, convened the first meeting of the Joint Technical Working Group on 21 January 2026. The meeting marked the official launch of a technical-level governance structure under the Global Accelerator for Jobs and Social Protection.
The Joint Technical Working Group brings together relevant line ministries, United Nations agencies, development partners, and workers’ and employers’ organizations. It is co-chaired by the Minister of Labour and Vocational Training and the United Nations Resident Coordinator. The Group will provide strategic oversight for the operational and programmatic implementation of the Global Accelerator through a joint secretariat.
The inaugural meeting focused on reviewing the joint work plan between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United Nations for implementing Cambodia’s National Roadmap for the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions.
The joint work plan aims to ensure strong alignment with national priorities while supporting concrete on-the-ground implementation, said H.E. Mr. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training and Co-chair of the Joint Technical Working Group.
“The joint work plan between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the United Nations aims to ensure alignment with national priorities and concrete implementation, demonstrating the Government’s strong commitment to working closely with the UN and development partners to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
“The project focuses on promoting decent job creation, particularly in the green, digital, and care economies, as well as expanding social protection systems. Employment and social protection are key pillars for achieving Cambodia’s Vision 2050 and serve as important drivers of social justice.”
The United Nations in Cambodia reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Government’s agenda and highlighted the importance of coordinated action across institutions and partners.
“The United Nations in Cambodia is fully committed to supporting the Royal Government in this transformative agenda,” said Ms Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team for East and South East Asia and the Pacific and Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, who co-chaired the meeting on behalf of the United Nations Resident Coordinator.
“The Joint Technical Working Group is a critical platform for aligning the combined efforts of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the private sector, social partners, the United Nations, and other development partners behind Cambodia’s development priorities. Under the coordination of the Resident Coordinator and in close collaboration across the UN system, we aim to mobilize the expertise and investments needed to turn the Roadmap’s vision into tangible results for the people of Cambodia.”
The National Roadmap for the Global Accelerator was developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Economy and Finance following extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. Its governance structure places political leadership under the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, while operational implementation is led by an Inter-Ministerial Working Group chaired by the Minister of Labour and Vocational Training.
Endorsed by the Government in December 2024, the Roadmap sets out an integrated national strategy to address complex socio-economic challenges. It focuses on strengthening human resource development, stimulating sustainable, resilient employment growth, and expanding social protection systems, with five intended outcomes. These include adopting pro-employment macroeconomic and financing policies; improving skills for inclusive employability; expanding social protection coverage, including progress towards universal health coverage; enhancing formalization and productivity; and creating an enabling environment for an inclusive labour market.
The United Nations in Cambodia, together with development partners, is supporting the implementation of the Roadmap through two United Nations Joint Programmes funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund. These programmes focus on expanding access to decent jobs and social protection for sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and on strengthening livelihoods and human capital through improved service delivery in social protection and skills, alongside additional single-agency initiatives.
Cambodia has been a Pathfinder Country of the Global Accelerator since 2023. The Global Accelerator is a flagship initiative of the United Nations Secretary General designed to help countries respond to overlapping crises and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It seeks to close global gaps in decent work and social protection by promoting integrated policy solutions that connect investments in jobs, social protection, and the green economy.
Original publication: https://www.unglobalaccelerator.org/cambodia-launches-joint-technical-working-group-advance-global-accelerator-job-creation-and-social
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds, and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
