On the afternoon of Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT) in Phnom Penh hosted a constructive meeting between H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of MoLVT, and H.E. Flavio Bonetti, the new UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, aimed at fortifying strategic cooperation in labor and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). During the engagement, Minister Sour commended the success of existing initiatives, particularly the Decent Employment for Youth (DEY) and BEEP programs, which are vital components supporting the government’s Pentagonal Strategy by equipping youth with specialized technological skills necessary for a highly productive workforce.
The two parties subsequently agreed upon pivotal strategic priorities, focusing on integrating digital and green technologies into the TVET system to address Industry 4.0 demands, strengthening the BEEP digital learning centers to provide foundational skills for out-of-school youth, and accelerating the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process to integrate former migrant workers into the formal labor market with dignity, underscoring UNESCO’s commitment to building an inclusive and digital economy-ready Cambodian workforce.