PHNOM PENH: The Minister of Interior and Chairman of the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development (NCDD), Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, has called on all stakeholders to work together to achieve Phase II of the decentralization and deconcentration plan, and the national programs for sub-national democratic development.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the National Program for Sub-National Democratic Development Phase 2 (2021-2030) on the morning of Monday, 21 March 2022, Sar Kheng said that decentralization and deconcentration are popular and highly effective public policy or strategy to promote democracy and governance in management, provision of services and local developments, and to respond effectively and promptly to requests and various needs of the people.

He said, "Simply put, the administration that is close to the people can know the real well-being and needs of the people more clearly and accurately than the administration that is far from the people, and these sub-national administrations can also organize the plan to address challenges and make the right decisions to respond to the requests and needs of the people appropriately, quickly and efficiently, in accordance with the different realities of each base."

In addition, he also called on all relevant ministries, institutions of the Royal Government, civil society organizations, and stakeholders to continue to be more active in their roles, responsibilities and relevant sectors, to promote the implementation of the second phase of the national program so it can be achieved as planned.

The Sub-National Democratic Development Reform 2021-2030 aims to ensure that people have access to public services and the benefits of local development, provided by sub-national administrations, with a good environment and social equity, which contributes to achieving the broad goals of economic and social development and helps transform Cambodia into an upper-middle income country by 2030.