Launching of the Technology Needs Assessment for the Kingdom of Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 19, 2023

His Excellency Prof. Dr. Chhem Kieth Rethy, Minister Delegate attached to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State of the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI) on behalf of H.E. Kitti Settha Pandita Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, presided over the dissemination and launching of the “Technology Needs Assessment for the Kingdom of Cambodia”, a project by MISTI in cooperation and support from the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (UN Technology Bank).

The Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) report outlines the notable progress Cambodia has made in developing and implementing science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies and enhancing its national STI system. In consultation with practitioners and experts in the various sectors in Cambodia, the report identified a set of priority technologies that are recommended for transfer to Cambodia. The identified technologies are relevant and appropriate to address the needs of key sectors for Cambodia’s development ambitions, including in areas such as energy, agriculture, education, health, and conservation and the environment. Additionally, this TNA also provided insights into national STI frameworks, improve coordination between authorities working on STI and technology issues, and develop a technology implementation plan.

The UN Technology Bank conducts TNAs to evaluate the STI ecosystem of LDCs, map out the key development challenges facing these countries and identify the technologies, technical know-how, and innovative capabilities required to find sustainable solutions. TNAs also analyse barriers and challenges hindering the acquisition, deployment, and diffusion of prioritised technologies and provide recommendations to strengthen technological development and the broader national STI ecosystem.

This TNA for the Kingdom of Cambodia is aligned with Cambodia’s STI policies and strategies, which focus on strengthening the national STI foundation and fostering an innovative ecosystem that promotes sustainable and inclusive development. The Royal Government of Cambodia has prioritised STI as a vital tool to leverage the country’s status to become an upper middle-income economy by 2030 and a high-income economy by 2050.

Since the establishment of MISTI, the ministry has made significant progress in building an STI ecosystem and supporting the National Policy on STI 2020-2030, which was approved by Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen in 2019. To date, MISTI has completed a number of important STI documents, including Cambodia’s STI Roadmap 2030, an overview of the STI Ecosystem in Cambodia, the National Research Agenda 2025, a report on the Research Ecosystem in Cambodia, STI Reports, Mapping Research and Innovation in the Kingdom of Cambodia and Technologies Roadmap, among others.

“This TNA for the Kingdom of Cambodia has been a role model for its demand-driven and country-led approaches. It is also a timely intervention that is aligned with Cambodia’s STI roadmap 2030 which included a focus on the development of STI capacity” emphasised Dr. Taffere Tesfachew, Acting Managing Director of the UN Technology Bank. “Moreover, the Royal Government of Cambodia has continued to own the TNA process, including its implementation of the recommendations of the report. I express my heartfelt appreciation to MISTI for their full and active support during the TNA process.”

“I would like to express my gratitude to our esteemed development partners, specifically the UN Technology Bank, for their invaluable support and collaboration in the production of this report for Cambodia,” said His Excellency Prof. Dr. Chhem Kieth Rethy. “Furthermore, I urge all pertinent stakeholders, including ministries, academia, the private sector, and development partners, to utilize this TNA as a vital resource.”

Report links: 

English version
Khmer version

Media contacts:

General Department of Science, Technology & Innovation (GDSTI): info_gdsti@misti.gov.kh

UN Technology Bank: Ms Roanna Jansen, roanna.jansen@un.org