AKP Phnom Penh, October 19, 2026 --

Information Minister H.E. Neth Pheaktra on Monday called for stepped-up human resource training in foreign languages to scale up news production and effectively communicate accurate information about Cambodia to the international community.

The Ministry already produces news in English, French, Chinese, and Arabic, he noted.

Minister H.E. Neth Pheaktra made the remarks while presiding over the closing ceremony of a training course titled "English in Information and Media," held at the Ministry of Information.

He said foreign language training for information officials forms a key pillar of the Ministry's human resource development strategy. The initiative aims to build capacity across professional skills, digital literacy, and foreign language proficiency to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Proficiency in foreign languages enables officials to actively participate in international forums, exchange information with foreign news outlets, and convey the reality of Cambodia to a broader global audience, the Minister said.

He emphasised that strengthening foreign language skills is closely aligned with information diplomacy, which helps expand international cooperation, foster professional knowledge sharing, and promote global awareness of Cambodia.

Recalling the information warfare surrounding Thai military incursions into Cambodian territory in 2025, the Minister stressed that deep foreign language competence is vital for responding to negative or distorted international media coverage regarding the situation in Cambodia.

To further enhance language training standards, the Ministry leverages information diplomacy to establish partnerships with friendly nations, securing scholarships and international training programmes for its personnel. Partner countries have also contributed substantially to training Cambodian human resources in information and audiovisual fields.

As the Royal Government’s primary body responsible for managing public opinion and public relations, the Ministry remains focused on systematic training plans to continuously build staff capacity, the Minister noted.

H.E. Neth Pheaktra warned that if information and audiovisual officials lack the necessary competency to deliver high-quality news to the public, public opinion management becomes increasingly difficult.

"Currently, we must adapt to the globalised world; we cannot stand alone. Proficiency in foreign languages drives our growth through research," he said. "Alongside foreign language courses, information officials must enhance their technical and technological capabilities to keep pace with the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI)."

He added that investing in foreign language training strengthens institutional capability, empowering officials to produce and distribute multi-language content across the Ministry's media and communications platforms.

"Strong English language skills enable officials to understand international news sources, translate and craft accurate content, and seamlessly coordinate with foreign institutions and partners," he said. "This capability directly contributes to disseminating credible information about Cambodia’s status, potential, development, and achievements to the world."

By K. Rithy Reak