On March 15, The Asia Foundation in Cambodia and its partner, the Coalition for Partnership in Democratic Development, organized the second national dialogue on “Promoting the Transparent and Accountable Management of Local Funds in Cambodia.” The dialogue brought together 174 participants, of which 40% were local women leaders. The event served as a platform for various government agencies at different levels to share best practices, discuss challenges in budgeting processes and social services, and prioritize recommendations to improve decentralization and deconcentration reform. The dialogue aimed to enhance transparency and accountability in sub-national budget management, focusing on the district and commune levels.  

The event is part of a New Zealand Government-funded local budgeting program in Cambodia that aims to improve the management of commune development funds. The program focuses on enhancing transparency, accountability, and citizen participation by building the capacity of commune councilors to effectively communicate with and involve the public in local budgeting processes.  

The national dialogue not only facilitated communication and understanding among provincial, district, and commune administrations regarding budget transparency and public accountability, but it also encouraged stakeholders to collaborate, share successes, identify areas for improvement, and determine the most effective way forward. This collaborative approach ensures that stakeholders take ownership of addressing the identified issues and commit to working together for positive change.