China News Service, Phnom Penh, March 11 (Yang Qiang Li Haiyue) Cambodia’s first Digital Government Forum opened in Phnom Penh on the 11th local time.
The forum was hosted by the Cambodian Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Communications. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manai attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. Experts, scholars and senior officials from many ASEAN countries attended the forum.
Hong Manai said that the COVID-19 epidemic has become a catalyst for the use and development of digital technology in Cambodia. In the past few years, the Cambodian government has made important achievements in promoting digital development.
In 2023, the number of registered mobile Internet users and mobile phone users in Cambodia will increase to more than 19 million, and digital payment volume will reach US$492 billion.
He said that the Cambodian government is actively promoting the digital policy agenda to promote the realization of the national, regional and global digital development goals set in the ASEAN Digital Master Plan 2025 and the United Nations Development Program’s 2022-2025 Digital Strategy.
Cambodia will work with ASEAN member states to promote the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement. It is expected that by 2030, the total ASEAN digital economy will increase from US$1 trillion to US$2 trillion per year.
The fifth aspect of the Cambodian government’s “Pentagonal Strategy” is to promote digital economy and social development.
Hong Manai pointed out that day that this forum should focus on key issues such as artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, digital human capital construction and network security, and coordinate policies, regulations and standards between countries and regions to promote digital trade and services and expand knowledge and experience. shared.
Chea Vandy, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Communications of Cambodia, said that the authorities attach great importance to the construction of digital infrastructure and plan to cover mobile Internet networks in all target areas across the country in 2027. They will also consider enabling 5G technology at an appropriate time in the future.
In addition, relevant departments also plan to train 100,000 digital technology talents within 10 years to promote technology research and development and innovation in the digital field.
The forum is divided into two parts: a seminar and a digital exhibition. The former invites industry experts and scholars to discuss and share issues such as policy and digital technology development trends; the latter showcases digital government technologies, products and solutions.
The Cambodian Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications also signed four memorandums of understanding with Laos, South Korea and relevant United Nations agencies on the same day to further strengthen international cooperation in the digital field.
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