Background
On 2 June 2026 the Ministry of Health convened a session to review the implementation plan of a memorandum of understanding between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Government of the United States. The agenda focused on institutional governance arrangements and draft implementation plans for five implementing units identified under the MOU.
The meeting recommended establishing a steering committee and a project management unit to coordinate and oversee implementation of the MOU’s activities. Five implementing units were identified to receive assistance under the MOU, including the Department of Communicable Disease Control and the National Institute of Public Health along with three national disease-control centres responsible for HIV/AIDS, parasitology/entomology/malaria, and related laboratory functions.
Scope of Application
The MOU implementation plan under review applies to five implementing entities named by the Ministry of Health. Those entities include: នាយកដ្ឋានប្រយុទ្ធនឹងជំងឺឆ្លង (Department of Communicable Disease Control), វិទ្យាស្ថានជាតិសុខភាពសាធារណៈ (National Institute of Public Health), មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលជាតិប្រយុទ្ធនឹងជំងឺអេដស៍ សើស្បែក និងកាមរោគ (national centre for HIV/AIDS, dermatology and sexually transmitted infections), មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលជាតិកំចាត់រោគរបេង និងហង់សិន (a national parasitology/entomology and vector control centre), and មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលជាតិប្រយុ្ធនឹងជំងឺគ្រុនចាញ់ ប៉ារ៉ាស៊ីតសាស្ត្រ និងបាណកសាស្ត្រ (a national centre covering malaria, parasitology and bacteriology). The plan covers project governance, operational roles of each unit, and coordination with the United States assistance programme identified in the MOU.
Key Provisions or Decisions
- The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Health provided guidance and requested expedited completion and improvement of draft implementation plans submitted by the five implementing units.
- Participants were advised to establish a project governance structure that includes a Steering Committee and a Project Management Unit (PMU) to ensure coordinated and efficient implementation aligned with the MOU.
- The review process emphasised drafting detailed implementation plans for each implementing unit, and refining roles and management arrangements to match the scope of U.S. assistance described in the MOU.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
Although the MOU concerns public-health cooperation rather than private investment, the formalisation of a steering committee and PMU creates defined points of coordination for donors, implementers and service providers. Implementing units will need to document governance arrangements and operational plans to meet compliance and reporting expectations associated with bilateral assistance. Private sector partners contracting with implementing units should expect centralised coordination through the PMU and formal approval processes established by the Steering Committee.
Official Source
Original announcement: Ministry of Health Facebook post, 2 June 2026 — facebook.com/MinistryofHealthofCambodia
