National Program

The RGC’s vision for Sub-National Democratic Development (SNDD) over the next 10 years (2021-2030) is that citizens have improved access to public services and benefit from local development provided by the SNAs in a socially equitable and inclusive manner. These initiatives will eventually contribute to the achievement of the socio-economic objective of advancing Cambodia to an upper-middle income country by 2030.

In order for this vision to be achieved, NP-2 will mainly focus on the strengthening and improvement of structures, management systems and functions of SNAs as follows:

• SNA structures, management systems, and functions will be revised in accordance with the specific characteristics of each SNA. The Phnom Penh capital administration will become a metropolitan administration, provincial administrations will become regional administrations, and municipal, district, commune, and Sangkat administrations will become local administrations.
• Major increases in administrative capacity of SNAs will be implemented. This will be achieved by strengthening and improving SNA human resources management and development. Working methods will also be improved and integrated with digital technology (e-governance).
• SNAs will be provided with adequate financial resources made available through increased local revenue and additional transfers from the national level. These activities will be carried out in a transparent and predictable manner and reduce the inequalities between SNAs. Additionally, SNAs will exercise much greater power over creating and using their budgets.
• Mechanisms, procedures, and standards for public service delivery and local socio-economic development will be developed, strengthened, and revised. SNAs will carry out their duties in an effective, transparent, accountable, socially equitable, and inclusive manner.
• SNAs will be able to assess, manage, and effectively respond to climate change vulnerabilities, natural disasters, and serious infectious diseases. These operations will support the people and promote inclusive and sustainable development in SNA localities.
• The powers of the SNA councils will be strengthened and promoted. They will implement policies, review and approve plans, and set budgets and priorities. SNAs will address the requests of the people and ensure they effectively deliver results.

The Goal of NP-2 is to promote democratic, inclusive, equitable and just development through the modernization of sub-national governance and improved access, quality, and utilization of public service delivery. This will contribute to the elimination of poverty and the improved quality of life for all citizens.​ This goal reflects and updates the goal of the first phase of NP-1 and also integrates the strategic governance objective of the RGC’s Rectangular Strategy Phase 4. It emphasizes that sub-national governance systems must be modernized in line with the rapid pace of change in Cambodian society. A modernized government will also help solve the future needs of the nation and help it become an upper-middle income country by 2030.

The objective of the NP-2 is that by 2030 “structures and systems of sub-national governance are modern, autonomous, effective, transparent, and accountable in their provision of public services and local development. They will respond to the prioritized needs of the people in their jurisdiction in an equitable and inclusive manner. Each type of SNA will have adequate power and capacity to carry out their functions under the oversight of their councils to strengthen accountability to citizens”.

NP-2 consists of five components and their expected outcomes as described below.

Component 1: Reform Leadership and Coordination. Leadership, coordination and support mechanisms of national and sub-national levels must be strengthened. Ministries and institutions will take ownership of the program and fulfill their responsibility to formulate and implement the SNDD reform in an effective and efficient manner.

Component 2: SNA Administrative Structures and Systems. Structures, systems, powers and functions of SNAs will be clearly defined according to their level and type. These systems will vary depending on the characteristics of each SNA. For example, urban SNAs will have different characteristics than rural SNAs. Information technology systems will be integrated to promote effective management and improve internal and external communications of SNAs.

Component 3: Human Resources Management and Development. SNAs will recruit, manage and deploy their staff based on their workload and financial flexibility. Each SNA will hire staff with professional qualifications and skills appropriate to their roles and responsibilities. SNA staff will benefit from the implementation of systematic, progressive, and professional skills development activities and support.

Component 4:  Fiscal Decentralization and SNA Planning and Budgeting Systems. SNAs will be provided with predictable and adequate budget resources aligned with mandates and policy priorities. This will give them the power and flexibility to respond to local situations and needs. These needs will be determined in the development plans, investment programs, and budget strategic plans (BSPs) of the SNAs.

Component 5: Service Delivery and Local Development Component. Mechanisms, procedures and standards will be implemented to provide public services, foster local development, and improve communication. These processes will be implemented in an effective, transparent, accountable, socially equitable, and inclusive manner. SNAs will be transferred functions and given the responsibility to respond to the needs and problems of the citizens in their jurisdiction.

In addition to the five components above, NP-2 will also focus the following cross-cutting issues:

• Gender Equality, Social Equity, and Inclusiveness Mainstreaming: SNAs will recruit and manage staff, and prepare plans and resources. They will also administer public services and foster local development without discrimination based on gender, religion, disability, ethnicity, or other social characteristics. SNAs will work proactively to assist women and disadvantaged groups in an equitable and inclusive manner to overcome the challenges they face in utilizing public services and fully engaging in local development, the economy, and society.
• Climate Change Vulnerability, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Serious Infectious Diseases. SNAs will be able to assess, manage, and respond to climate change vulnerabilities. They will also work to reduce the risk of disaster and mitigate the risk of serious infectious diseases in their jurisdictions. These mechanisms will support the welfare and sustainable development of their communities.

NP 2 Khmer

NP2 English

National Program

The National Program for Sub-National Democratic Development (NP-SNDD) is the RGC’s agenda for the next 10 years in the comprehensive and in-depth governance reform process of the sub-national administrations, which will also impact on other national institutions. The formulation of NP-SNDD reflects and confirms the RGC’s political commitment to the vision, policies and strategies outlined in the D&D Strategic Framework and the government’s commitment to implementing the Organic Laws on Capital, Province, Municipality, District and Commune/Sangkat administrations.

The NP-SNDD has been formulated while the RGC is strengthening the roles and responsibilities of institutions at all levels towards achieving good governance, development and poverty reduction. To achieve these goals, great efforts by all national and sub-national levels are required, as well as effective cooperation between them. In this reform process, there is a need for equal opportunity for all citizens to participate in local development and to demand better and more comprehensive public services to meet citizen’s needs, leading to poverty reduction and focusing on the most vulnerable groups, particularly the indigenous peoples, women and children.

In this respect, the RGC’s goals for sub-national democratic development are to:
• Create a culture of local participatory democracy, accountable to the citizens;
• Improve public services and infrastructures;
• Bring about social and economic development;
• Contribute to poverty reduction.

Programme Areas
This document describes the goals, objectives and scope of the NP-SNDD implementation framework by platform (or phase) and sets out the activities planned under each programme area designed to achieve sub-national democratic development. It outlines five programme areas as following:
•    Sub-national Institutional Development
•    The Development of Strong Human Resource Management Systems
•    The Transfer of Functions and Resources
•    Sub-National Budget, Financial and Property Systems
•    Support Institutions for D&D Reform Process

Please click the following links to download the national program