[…] in order to ensure transparency and integrity in the provision of this cash transfer program (for poor and vulnerable households during Covid-19), I strongly urge local authorities at all levels, especially those at every commune, to focus on doing the job properly and consistently, and avoiding absolute collusion with their relatives whose families are not really poor and vulnerable […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
Facebook Page, 30 June 2020.

[…] Covid-19 has brought about number of challenges […] this is not the time for blame-game, discriminate, or disengage the allies based on political agenda […] Cambodia is calling on the vaccine to be a global common goods which can be accessed by all […]

[…] Regarding the connectivity, I would emphasize the importance of digital connectivity and digital economy. Digitalization has played an important role in offsetting productivity losses due to Covid-19 pandemic […] the disruption caused by the pandemic has made us aware of greater need for ASEAN to foster digital infrastructure development […]

[…] I would like to reiterate Cambodia’s full support, and look forward to the early inclusion of Timor-Leste as a full member of ASEAN […] we should continue working closely with the Government of Timor-Leste to address any major challenges that Timor-Leste is facing, so that all necessary procedures and requirements can be addressed in the near future […]

[…] Such cooperation and partnerships (from ASEAN’s external partners) are crucial for ASEAN to enhance its community building process as well as to navigate difficult challenges and complexities […] Cambodia is of the view that Brunei’s initiative to consider lifting the current momentum on new Dialogue Partnership would be of great benefit to us […]

Samdech Techo HUN SEN ,
Excerpts Speech in the 36th ASEAN Summit via Video Conference, 26 June 2020.

• […] It has now come the time when there is a need for cash assistance. Should we have no liquidity, what could we hand out to our people? I used to say that we have at least some three billion USD in cash available in hand. Some countries, though they wished to do this kind of program, they could not because they did not have cash. Cambodia, as you know it, is a poor country. Cambodia cannot run after those rich countries who provided bigger cash assistance to their people. We have this much capacity, though, to start with 560,000 households [...]

• […] Our country is poor but we have good habit of saving. We are not like “leaking buckets.” We have cash/liquidity [...] we already got out 125 million USD for the job. We are prepared to spend more should the crisis prolongs. Our program ends once the situation improves. According to the report I received on a weekly basis from the Ministry of Agriculture, by this time, we have cultivated rice on 1.5 million hectares already. We are in the process of harvesting dry season and upper-land rice. Cambodia’s economy is still functioning, especially in agriculture. A large part of industry is functioning and so is service sector [...]

• […] Though it is a huge social assistance program, I think we will need to keep doing it as long as required [...] for this year, we have a period of six months to go. Should Covid-19 prolongs thereafter, we must continue. I am calling on our people to look for jobs themselves that they can do, except old aged and underage people, for additional incomes [...]. I think this is an explanation of efforts of the Royal Government to look after its people on this matter. Our compatriots may see how responsible this poor country is. This poor country works hard to help its poor and vulnerable people, especially thanks to its decade long saving, mainly the last five years [...]

• […] I am calling on all of us to make efforts together. My message to provincial authorities and the Ministry of Planning to work and monitor closely (process of poverty data collection) and send it to the Ministry of Economy and Finance [...]. Some of our people may not be poor at this time but months later, they may because they could not find jobs […] we must ensure equity and transparency in collecting data regarding poverty […]

• [...] We are prepared with own fund and working with partners for restoration in the post Covid-19 period. We have already started what we called stimulus package through continuing infrastructural development projects using both own investment funds and fund from abroad. We also place cash flow in the rural area to resolve both economic and social interrelated issues [...]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
Elaboration During the Launch of “Cash Transfer Program for
Poor and Vulnerable Households during COVID-19, 24 June 2020.