ASEAN Civil Service Leaders Meet in Cambodia

Siem Reap, Cambodia - Leaders of civil service institutions from across ASEAN gathered in Cambodia on Wednesday (5/8) to attend the 23rd ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) event and the 8th ACCSM+3 meeting.

The high-level summit focused on accelerating innovation and improving public service delivery across the region.

Opening the event, which carried the theme “Innovation for Better Service Delivery”, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that the meeting aimed to strengthen regional cooperation, foster a culture of excellence, and build a public sector that is agile, resilient, and ready for the future.

“Recognising the diverse levels of development within ASEAN, our goal is to narrow the gaps and ensure every country adopts new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, at a sustainable pace,” said Hun Manet.

He said that genuine governance innovation rests on strengthening institutions and human resources, not merely on digital tools alone.

The Prime Minister also thanked ASEAN’s three main dialogue partners — China, Japan, and South Korea — for their strong commitment to enhancing regional cooperation in innovation and digital transformation in public services.

Deputy Prime Minister and Cambodian Minister of Civil Service Hun Many noted that ACCSM has served as a vital regional platform for more than 40 years, promoting responsive and people-centred civil service management through knowledge exchange and capacity building.

“Together, we have strengthened regional solidarity, supported efforts to narrow development gaps among member states, and contributed to building a more resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN,” he said.