Phnom Penh: More than 300 participants, including senior officials from relevant ministries and institutions, development partners, and journalists, gathered for the final consultation on the "Draft Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating the Implementation of the First Phase of the Pentagon Strategy." This high-level meeting aimed to discuss, exchange ideas, and gather final input to ensure the draft framework is comprehensive, high-quality, and feasible.

The consultation workshop, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Visoth, took place on July 22, 2024, at a hotel in Phnom Penh. Mr. Vongsey Visoth, who also serves as the Chairman of the Committee for Monitoring and Evaluating the Implementation of the First Phase of the Pentagon Strategy, underscored the importance of this strategic initiative.

"The Pentagon Strategy is a national development strategy with a 25-year time frame, divided into five phases of five years each," explained Mr. Vongsey Visoth. "The first phase aims to sustain the momentum and achievements of the Royal Government of Cambodia over the past 25 years, particularly in maintaining peace and fostering development. It seeks to distribute the benefits of economic growth to all citizens and lay the foundation for nation-building, aligning with the Royal Government's vision for 2050."

Mr. Vongsey Visoth emphasized that monitoring and evaluation are crucial for improving the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, and development plans. This mechanism is designed to respond to the evolving socio-economic landscape both globally and nationally, ensuring effective achievement of new national goals.

For the first phase of the Pentagon Strategy, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms will be coordinated with the National Strategic Development Plan 2024-2028 and sectoral development strategies. The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the current global economic threats, including geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, trade wars, technological conflicts, ideological disputes, and widespread climate change, as significant challenges for Cambodia's Vision 2050.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, the first phase of the Pentagon Strategy aims to adopt a responsive, flexible, and capable approach, considering both external and internal changes.

The consultation workshop concluded with strong agreement and appreciation from the leaders of relevant ministries and institutions regarding the draft document. The draft framework outlines key objectives, scope, organizational approach, key performance indicators, institutional roles, and responsibilities for monitoring and evaluation. It also includes definitions, methods, data collection tools, legal standards, institutional capacity building, and the establishment of a national IT system for monitoring and evaluation.

Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Visoth reminded all ministries and institutions of the Royal Government's high priority on monitoring and evaluation, as emphasized by Prime Minister Hun Manet in his address during the first plenary session of the Council of Ministers for the 7th legislature of the National Assembly on August 24, 2023.