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A land registration team surveys territory in Phsar commune of Kampong Chhnang province’s Boribor district on August 23. Boribor district Systematic Land Registration Team
Civil society representatives have expressed their approval of the government’s plan to complete land surveys and issue titles by 2025, with an estimated budget of $100 million. They believe that finishing the task will help resolve frequent land disputes.
The initiative was announced by Prime Minister Hun Manet on August 22, marking the first anniversary of his assumption of office. He stated that in the previous term, the government had surveyed and registered more than 7.7 million plots and issued around seven million titles.
"Over the past 12 months, the government has measured and registered an additional 2 million land plots and issued nearly 590,000 titles. It is expected that the remaining 2.5 million plots will be surveyed by 2025, using an all-out workforce of over 5,000 people,” he said.
The prime minister said the government hopes that after the effort is complete, land disputes will be reduced or even eliminated. Regarding state and forest land, he mentioned that the government also plans to complete their mapping soon.
Yang Kim Eng, president of the People Centre for Development and Peace (PDP-Centre), observed that many plots of land remain unregistered, with some districts having completed only about 15 per cent of the process.
He also noted that many community forest areas have yet to be registered. He urged that the surveys and title issuances be expedited to ensure citizens’ legal rights.
According to Kim Eng, in some places, hard titles have already been issued, but there are overlapping titles, a problem caused by poor governance. He stressed that the government should investigate and hold those who issued such deeds accountable.
"Therefore, I welcome the push to complete the land title issuance next year. I hope that at the very least, Cambodian citizens will have ownership rights to the land they have lived on for years," he said.
Kim Eng's observations indicate that delays in the granting of titles are often due to prolonged disputes. He suggested that the National Authority for Land Dispute Resolution (NALDR) expedite the resolution process, allowing surveys and deed allocations to proceed without leaving the land idle.
"I hope this commitment will be fully realised by the end of next year, allowing citizens to receive their [titles]. If this commitment is not met, it will erode public trust and satisfaction."
Am Sam Ath, operations director at rights group LICADHO, believes that the government’s plan could reduce many disputes. However, he expressed concern about the titling of community lands, particularly for indigenous groups, as the process is complex.
He added that the registration for native populations is connected to the recognition of their identity, which is tied to the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Environment. He noted that there are still many unresolved community land disputes.
Sam Ath said that once land is registered, it will reduce or eliminate disputes, leaving only minor boundary issues.