AKP Phnom Penh, September 30, 2026 --

The National Social Protection Council (NSPC) officially opened the “Cambodia Social Protection Week 2026” on Wednesday and launched the Action Plan for Implementing the Guidelines on the Social Protection Framework for Emergency Response 2026–2030.

The opening ceremony, held at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel, was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance H.E. Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth, who also serves as Chairman of the NSPC.

The fifth edition of Cambodia Social Protection Week is being organised under the theme: “Social Protection amid Polycrises in the Cambodian and Regional Contexts: Innovation, Cooperation, Resilience and Sustainability.” The event brings together leaders of ministries and institutions, diplomats, development partners, and representatives from several countries in the region.

The forum serves as a platform for exchanging experiences, lessons learned, and best practices in implementing national social assistance programmes and social security schemes during periods of multiple crises.

Addressing the event, H.E. Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth reaffirmed the Royal Government’s commitment to further building an integrated and coherent social protection system based on the life-cycle approach and the principle of “leaving no one behind.”

He noted that this direction is reflected in the Pentagonal Strategy – Phase 1 and the National Social Protection Policy Framework 2024-2035, aimed at improving health and well-being, reducing poverty and inequality, and strengthening solidarity and equity in society.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Cambodia’s social protection system has achieved significant progress during the first three years of the seventh-mandate Royal Government, from August 2023 to August 2026.

Coverage of healthcare programmes expanded from approximately 4.7 million people to around 8.5 million. Beneficiaries of the Health Equity Fund increased from about 2.8 million to 4.8 million people, while those covered under the National Social Security Fund’s healthcare scheme rose from approximately 1.9 million to 3.7 million.

Meanwhile, the cash transfer programme for pregnant women and children under two years old expanded from around 1.1 million beneficiaries to approximately 2.25 million beneficiaries.

Cambodia has also implemented the national social assistance programme under the family package, covering more than 790,000 poor households, equivalent to about 3.5 million people as of August 2026.

H.E. Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth stressed that the social protection system acts as a “strong income security shield” for citizens, helping maintain livelihoods and preventing vulnerable families from falling deeper into poverty during crises and emergencies.

He noted that the Royal Government has allocated approximately US$1.4 billion for cash transfer programmes responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, inflationary pressures, and floods.

The Emergency Response Action Plan 2026-2030, officially launched during the event, represents another step toward institutionalising Cambodia’s social protection system to better prepare for emergencies and crises.

Developed through close cooperation among relevant ministries, institutions, and development partners, the plan outlines priority actions, responsible ministries and institutions, and implementation timelines, focusing on five key pillars: policy and institutional frameworks, programme delivery mechanisms, payment systems, data and information systems, and financing mechanisms, while incorporating inclusion and gender considerations.

Its main objective is to ensure systematic, predictable, timely, and effective social protection support for affected populations, particularly poor, vulnerable, and at-risk households, both during emergencies to maintain livelihoods and after crises to facilitate recovery.

By C. Nika