Improved service delivery programme in Cambodia (Phase II)

Context

Since the 1990s, Cambodia has seen slow decentralisation and local government reform efforts aimed at rebuilding local infrastructure and developing livelihood opportunities. While this process required the reconstruction of public institutions at the subnational level from the outset, Cambodia took a major step in 2019, with the transfer of functions from 20 sectors (such as education) to districts and municipalities. Today, the full implementation of these transferred functions remains a national challenge.

Since 2010, the National Programme for Sub-National Democratic Development has aimed to improve citizens’ access to public services and to grant them equitable benefits from local development. Embracing a democratic and inclusive approach, the decentralisation reforms seek to enhance public service delivery, eliminate poverty and improve the quality of life. These expected outcomes, however, mainly depend on subnational administrations’ (SNAs) ability to implement their functions and respond to local needs.

Objectives

The Improved service delivery programme in Cambodia (Phase II) is a multi-donor initiative jointly financed by Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg. It builds on the successful cooperation between all partners within the scope of the first phase of the programme.

Despite progress in implementing the decentralisation policy and a positive perception among citizens, SNAs in Cambodia are often still not in a position to adequately fulfil their mandate of service provision and to deliver services in a climate-sensitive and inclusive manner to all population groups, while making use of digital approaches. As a result, the population of Cambodia does not yet have sufficient access to relevant administrative and sectoral services provided by SNAs. The programme addresses the underlying causes of this situation and strengthens the existing potential. Its objective is: “The population in selected partner provinces of Cambodia has access to improved inclusive, climate-sensitive and digital services of districts and municipalities”. 

Beneficiaries

The programme benefits the population of the three partner provinces selected for the first phase, namely Battambang (around 1.1 million residents), Banteay Meanchey (close to 900,000 residents), and Siem Reap (about 1.1 million residents), as well as the population of Stung Treng (approximately 180,000 residents), an additional province targeted for the second phase of the programme due to the following characteristics: 

• the highest poverty index in the country, reflecting significant development needs;
• a geographic location that allows high operational speed and scalable interventions while reducing operational transaction costs.

Stakeholders

The programme is implemented by GIZ in close collaboration with the Cambodian counterpart, the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development Secretariat.