PAGE, the Economics and Finance Institute (EFI) and Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), with UNITAR support, successfully concluded a pilot training series on Green and Inclusive Public Financial Management (PFM). 120 public financial officers from national and sub-national levels received certificates, highlighting integration of climate and environmental sustainability across the full budget cycle—from planning and preparation to execution, reporting, control, and audit.
13 December 2025
Cambodia Concludes Pilot Training Series on Green and Inclusive Public Financial Management
The training series was not just a capacity-building exercise—it marked a strategic step toward institutionalizing green and inclusive public financial management (PFM) practices across Cambodia’s government system. As MEF’s training arm, EFI’s mandatory certificate program for PFM officials in line ministries and subnational authorities now has a foundation for embedding sustainability and social considerations, potentially reaching thousands of learners annually.
The training aligns with Cambodia’s Public Financial Management Reform Program Phase IV (2023-2027), which focuses on achieving performance accountability, and contributes to implementing the Cambodia Climate Change Response Strategic Plan 2024-2033, the Circular Strategy for Environment, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0).
Training Dynamics
A Training of Trainers (ToT) on October 3-6 equipped 25 EFI trainers and officials from MEF and the Ministry of Environment. This enabled the inaugural three-day course (October 6-8) for 59 PFM specialists from 25 ministries and provincial administrations, followed by a November 24-26 session for 50 subnational officials. Facilitated by trained EFI and government experts, the series delivered practical tools and applied learning for the public finance cycle.
Milestone Achievement and Next Steps
“Today’s green and inclusive PFM equips Cambodia to transform global challenges into opportunities, aligning public resources with sustainable growth, retaining investors, and propelling us toward high-income status by 2050”, said Dr. Hean Sahib, Secretary of State and Head of the MEF Capacity Building Working Group, at the closing ceremony. He also underscored alignment with Public Financial Management Reform Programme Phase IV, Pentagonal Strategy Phase 1, Cambodia Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2033, and NDC 3.0. EU Programme.
This article has been updated to reflect the completion of the training series.
The EU is proud to assist Cambodia in enhancing fiscal governance that fosters sustainability and inclusion, complementing our ongoing technical support in public investment and sustainable public procurement.
Vladimir Rojanski, Head of the EU's Green Finance and Investment Program
Building capacity for green and inclusive PFM is key to ensuring that every riel spent contributes to resilience, prosperity, and opportunity for all
Shakeel Ahmad, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Cambodia
By applying what you have learned, you can help ensure that Cambodia’s PFM practices and fiscal policies are not only efficient and transparent, but also sustainable and inclusive
Amrei Horstbrink, Senior Specialist, Climate Change and Green Development, UNITAR
PAGE in Cambodia
The UN PAGE (Partnership for Action on Green Economy) was officially launched in Cambodia on May 12, 2023, with the Ministry of Environment serving as coordinating government agency.
