In Phnom Penh, the Cambodian government has announced a major restructuring plan aimed at modernising public administration, improving efficiency, and reducing unnecessary spending across state institutions. Prime Minister Hun Manet revealed that the government plans to eliminate three general departments and 30 departments from various ministries as part of a broader reform strategy designed to streamline administration and prepare the public sector for the digital era.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony of the General Department of Taxation headquarters in Phnom Penh, PM Hun Manet said the reforms are intended to reduce bureaucracy, improve public services, and strengthen institutional efficiency. The restructuring effort comes as Cambodia continues accelerating digital transformation and administrative modernization across government agencies.
Why the Government Is Restructuring State Institutions?
According to Mr Hun Manet, the reform process is focused on simplifying complicated administrative systems that often slow down decision making and public services. The Ministry of Civil Service has already reviewed 16 ministries and institutions to identify areas where departments can be merged, reduced, or reorganized to improve overall effectiveness.
The Prime Minister explained that the government wants to create a more responsive administration that can better serve citizens while lowering operational costs. By removing overlapping responsibilities between departments, ministries are expected to operate more efficiently and avoid unnecessary duplication of work.
He stressed that the reforms are not politically motivated or designed to target specific individuals. Instead, the restructuring is based on improving workflow, management systems, and institutional adaptation to modern governance standards.
“We have a clear mechanism,” PM Hun Manet said. “We create a department not because we favour a particular person, and we abolish a department not because we dislike someone or because officials are incompetent, but to improve work efficiency through adjusting procedures, responsibilities, work systems and adaptation.”
Digital Transformation Becomes a Key Priority
One of the government’s main goals is to prepare state institutions for the growing demands of digital governance. While some departments are being eliminated, other agencies are expanding specialised units focused on technology, digital systems, and artificial intelligence.
PM Hun Manet pointed to the General Department of Taxation as an example of how government institutions are adapting to new technological demands. The tax authority has introduced more specialised departments that focus on digital operations and modern administrative systems to improve public services and strengthen tax collection efficiency.
The government believes that modernising public administration through technology will help Cambodia remain competitive while improving transparency, speed, and accessibility for citizens and businesses.
Recruitment and Human Resource Reform Continue
Although the government plans to reduce the number of departments, recruitment for essential public positions will continue based on operational needs. Mr Hun Manet said clear and transparent recruitment mechanisms remain in place to ensure ministries can continue functioning effectively.
The government plans to organise examinations this year to recruit both framework and contract officials for several key institutions. These include 52 positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, 45 positions at the Ministry of Justice, and 40 positions at the State Secretariat for Border Affairs.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport is still reviewing its staffing requirements before finalising additional recruitment plans.
Public Administration Reform Remains Ongoing
PM Hun Manet emphasized that public administration reform has been an ongoing priority since the beginning of the current government mandate. The reform strategy follows the principle of “shrinking the head and expanding the body,” which focuses on reducing administrative layers while strengthening operational efficiency at the working level.
The Ministry of Civil Service has also been consulting directly with affected institutions before implementing structural changes to ensure transparency and minimise disruption during the transition process.
The government hopes these reforms will create a more modern, efficient, and citizen focused administration capable of responding more effectively to Cambodia’s economic and technological development goals.
Conclusion
Cambodia’s latest public sector reform reflects the government’s broader effort to modernise state institutions and improve the delivery of public services. By cutting unnecessary departments, reducing overlapping responsibilities, and investing in digital systems, the government aims to build a more efficient administration that can better serve citizens while controlling public spending. As Cambodia continues adapting to rapid technological and economic changes, these reforms are expected to play an important role in shaping the future of governance in the country.