UNDP aims to enhance the government’s ability to deliver public services to the population in an efficient, effective, equitable and accountable manner, to consolidate a participatory democracy with a responsible civil society and to create an enabling environment for inclusive growth, private sector development and sustainable use of natural resources.

Our vision:

Cambodians living with dignity in a prosperous society at peace, based on justice, free choices and equitable access to productive resources.

UNDP has been in Cambodia for 50 years, operating from 1958 to 1975, resuming in a limited capacity in 1980 contributing to emergency relief operations, and formally establishing its offices in Phnom Penh in 1994 with the signature of the SBBA.

Achieving the MDGs

UNDP supports Cambodia to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Critical challenges include: (i) the diversification of growth and the translation of growth into the reduction of poverty and inequalities in rural areas; (ii) sustainable and participatory management of natural resources that represent primary assets for the poor (including oil and gas, arable land, forestry and fisheries) and (iii) strengthening participatory democracy and good governance.

UNDP also supports Cambodia to achieve priority goals and targets outlined in its National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) in the fields of governance reforms, political processes, gender equity, environmental sustainability and rural energy, climate change and demining. These national goals are aligned with the MDGs.

How do we work?

UNDP operates within the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), an overarching five-year plan for UN agencies in Cambodia. At the end of 2010, the existing UNDAF 2006-2010 will come to a close and a new UNDAF 2011-2015 will be launched. In addition to the UNDAF, the UN Country Team produces a Common Country Assessment (CCA), which analyses the national development situation and identifies key development issues. Both a process and a product, the CCA takes into account national priorities, with a focus on the MDGs and the other commitments, goals and targets of the Millennium Declaration and international conferences, summits and conventions.

In addition, UNDP operates within its own Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP), which is also five years in duration. Currently, UNDP is designing its new Country Programme for 2011-2015, as outlined in the 2011-2015 Country Programme Document. The Council for the Development of Cambodia is the coordinating agency for all official aid in Cambodia and is UNDP’s primary counterpart for its CPAP and the UNDAF.

All UNDP activities are undertaken in close collaboration with the Government, sister UN agencies and other development stakeholders. Partnerships with UK/DFID, Sweden/SIDA, Australia/AusAID, Canada/CIDA, the European Union and other partners have been critical to achieving results.

Who are the decision-makers?

The Resident Coordinator heads the UN System in Cambodia and is also the Resident Representative, or most senior official, for UNDP in country. The UNDP Country Director is the second most senior official and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the organization. The Country Director is assisted by two Deputies, one for Programme and one for Operations.

UNDP works closely with the Royal Government of Cambodia. Most of UNDP’s projects in Cambodia are implemented by national partners under the National Implementation Modality (NIM), which builds a sense of national ownership of activities and contributes to UNDP’s mandate to strengthen national capacities. Implementing partners include government ministries and departments, parliament’s secretariat, provincial, district and commune authorities and civil society organizations.

UNDP Staff in Cambodia

UNDP currently employs 355 personnel (core staff and project personnel). As of July 2010, there are 33 international and 322 national personnel, and 102 are women.