PHNOM PENH: The UN in Cambodia and the kingdom’s government have reached a formal agreement to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector, with the goal of enhancing governance and accelerating progress toward sustainable development goals in the kingdom.
The agreement was reached during an April 6 working meeting between Minister of Tourism Huot Hak and, newly appointed UN resident coordinator in Cambodia, held at the tourism ministry headquarters.
Andreeva praised Cambodia’s infrastructure development, noting significant progress compared to a decade ago. Minister Huot Hak, for his part, expressed appreciation for her leadership and the UN’s active contributions to Cambodia’s economic, social and humanitarian development over the years.
During the meeting, discussions centred on promoting sustainable development through improved policies and implementation frameworks, advancing green tourism standards and enhancing climate resilience in tourism destinations.
The two parties also highlighted the importance of community-based tourism, improving local livelihoods, encouraging the participation of youth and women, and technical support for human resource capacity development. This includes training in hospitality, digital skills and green competencies to meet the demands of the modern tourism market.
The tourism minister emphasised his belief that Cambodia’s peace, political stability and economic growth provide a strong foundation for attracting international tourists and investors, as well as creating new opportunities for sustainable tourism development.
Both he and Andreeva reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening close cooperation to promote a tourism sector that is sustainable, inclusive and competitive, in line with Cambodia’s national development strategy and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
