Background
As an institutional capacity initiative, the EU Twinning project targeted the National Institute of Statistics under the Ministry of Planning to improve statistical production, methods, and dissemination. The project ran from May 2024 to October 2026 with financial support from the European Union.
National statistical institutes from Italy, France, Poland and Lithuania provided technical cooperation under the Twinning arrangement. The project supported development of a statistical work framework that emphasises standardized methods for data collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination to meet the objectives of Cambodia’s Official Statistics Policy 2026–2035 and the National Strategy for Statistics 2026–2028.
Key Developments
The Ministry of Planning held an official closing ceremony for the Twinning project on 9 October 2026 at Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra. The event included remarks from State Secretary Dr. Pouch Bunnak representing Minister Bin Trachay, European Union Ambassador Igor Driesmans, project lead Filomena Grassia, and senior officials from the National Institute of Statistics.
Institutional Role
The project formalised technical collaboration between Cambodia’s National Institute of Statistics and four EU national statistical institutes (Istat, INSEE, Statistics Poland, and the State Data Agency of Lithuania). Activities focused on strengthening institutional capacity and human resources within the Ministry of Planning to produce timely and quality official statistics for government planning and policy-making.
Operational Implications
Outputs reported by the Ministry include updated methodologies for data collection and analysis and the development of a statistical work framework aligned with international standards. These operational changes are intended to improve the reliability and timeliness of statistics used by policymakers and stakeholders in Cambodia’s socio-economic planning processes.
Official Source
Source: Ministry of Planning announcement and ceremony statement, 9 October 2026 (Ministry of Planning Facebook post).
