UN resident coordinator Pauline Tamesis (left) and Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training spokesman Heng Sour attend a meeting on Monday. MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training said the UN Joint Programme United for Youth Employment in Cambodia plans to implement its second phase which aims to promote decent employment for Cambodian youth.
The remarks were made during a two-day meeting from Monday to Tuesday attended by ministry spokesman Heng Sour and UN resident coordinator Pauline Tamesis at a hotel in Siem Reap.
“The meeting approved the principles of the conduct of the Board of Directors, the Advisory Council and the Technical Review Committee. The meeting also approved and put into operation the second phase, starting from January 2020 to 2023,” the ministry said on its Facebook page.
The second phase of the project, worth $8 million, will be supported by donations from the Royal Government, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UN agencies and private partners.
The post said the first phase of the UN programme spanned two years from September 2017 to November this year. The project had spent a total of $4,478,000 with the charitable assistance and participation of the government, the SDC and UN agencies.
“The first phase of the project has contributed to reducing inequality [in job opportunities] and other barriers to youth employment.
“This is especially helpful for vulnerable youths. It also ensures that they are more equipped to respond to the skills needed in the job market,” the post said.
It continued that the second phase of the project would follow on the initiatives of the initial phase to promote decent and productive employment opportunities for Cambodian youth.
It is hoped that the project would help advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly the eighth goal which is to “promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”.
Cambodian Labour Confederation president Ath Thorn lauded the continuation of the project, saying the initiative would improve the labour sector of Cambodia and especially help develop skills among the youth.
“We do whatever we can to have a [more capable] human resource [pool] after more of our youth receive skills training.
“We advise youths and students to learn and develop professional skills. It is important. This would best serve Cambodia as we enter the fourth industrial revolution,” he said.
Additionally, Thorn expressed his wish to see the collaboration expand to factory workers, especially the provision of opportunities for unions which could contribute to the labour sector of Cambodia.
