Phnom Penh, April 10, 2024: In a bid to enhance educational opportunities for its youth and officials, Cambodia has officially approached New Zealand with a request to boost the number of scholarships offered for both long-term and short-term programs.

This appeal was made during a meeting on April 8 between Prak Nguon Hong, Secretary of State at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Gary Ward, General Manager Engagement for Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

The discussion centered on the scholarships New Zealand currently provides to Cambodia, with particular focus on the English Language Training for Officials (ELTO) program. Prak Nguon Hong expressed gratitude for New Zealand's longstanding support, which has been instrumental since 1995 in providing essential training and scholarship opportunities to Cambodian youth and officials. These initiatives are part of New Zealand’s commitment to aiding human resource development in Cambodia, aligning with the Royal Government of Cambodia's strategic priorities.

Further, the Cambodian side requested consideration for the inclusion of additional training programs aimed at enhancing diplomatic skills such as negotiation, public speaking, report writing, and economic diplomacy.

This meeting underscores the continued collaborative spirit between Cambodia and New Zealand, with a shared goal of fostering the growth and development of Cambodian professionals through education and training.