APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata (left) presents the Institutional Capability Development Plan for the National Productivity Centre of Cambodia to H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation of Cambodia, in Phnom Penh on 22 July 2026.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Royal Government of Cambodia received the Institutional Capability Development Plan for the National Productivity Centre of Cambodia during an official handover ceremony at the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI) in Phnom Penh on 22 July 2026. The report was formally handed over by the Secretary-General of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata, to the Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, H.E. Hem Vanndy.

Developed with APO support, the Institutional Capability Development Plan (ICDP) provides a structured pathway for strengthening the institutional capability of the National Productivity Centre of Cambodia (NPCC), Cambodia’s national productivity institution. It builds on Cambodia’s long-standing engagement with the APO and the APO-supported National Productivity Master Plan developed in 2018, moving beyond national productivity strategy development to institutional capability building for implementation.

The handover comes at an important moment for Cambodia as the country prepares to graduate from least developed country status in 2029 and seeks to sustain competitiveness through productivity, innovation, digital transformation, green growth, industrial upgrading, and economic resilience. In this context, a stronger NPCC will be essential to translate national productivity priorities into practical services, measurable results, and sustained improvements for enterprises, public institutions, and other stakeholders.

The ICDP was informed by a diagnostic assessment, stakeholder consultations, and institutional analysis. It recognizes the foundation that the NPCC has built through productivity promotion, capacity building, the 5S Award, enterprise-oriented initiatives, and APO-related programs while identifying the next level of institutional strengthening required for the NPCC to deliver greater impact.

“The true value of this development plan will depend on implementation. With sustained leadership from MISTI, strong ownership by the NPCC, adequate human and financial resources, effective partnerships, and disciplined monitoring of progress, the NPCC can further strengthen its role as Cambodia’s national productivity institution and make a deeper contribution to the country’s long-term competitiveness, innovation, and prosperity,” said APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra.

In his remarks, H.E. Hem Vanndy emphasized that the ICDP would strengthen Cambodia’s productivity ecosystem by enhancing the NPCC’s institutional capacity and its ability to support government agencies, enterprises, and factories in improving productivity, product quality, and operational efficiency.

Um Serivuth, Director of the NPCC, noted that the ICDP would provide the NPCC with a clearer pathway for strengthening its institutional systems, services, partnerships, and results-oriented approach to productivity improvement across Cambodia.

The development plan sets out three mutually reinforcing reform categories: strengthening institutional and governance foundations; strengthening organizational systems and human capabilities; and enhancing service effectiveness, stakeholder engagement, and results-based management. These categories are supported by 10 reform actions and a three-year capability pathway designed to support the NPCC’s evolution into a more capable, trusted, evidence-driven, and future-ready national productivity institution.

The report also emphasizes that productivity improvement cannot be achieved through activity expansion alone. It calls for clearer institutional purpose, stronger governance and management systems, a more demand-responsive service model, deeper technical capabilities, more strategic partnerships, and a shift from measuring activities to demonstrating productivity results.

Through the ICDP, the NPCC is expected to strengthen its ability to support firms and public institutions in identifying productivity constraints, adopting practical solutions, improving service quality, and using evidence to guide continuous improvement. The plan is also intended to position the NPCC to respond to emerging priorities such as green transformation, digital adoption, industrial upgrading, and enterprise competitiveness.

Dr. Indra expressed appreciation for the leadership and substantive contributions of MISTI, the NPCC, participating ministries, private sector representatives, development partners, and other stakeholders throughout the diagnostic, consultation, validation, and preparation process. He also reaffirmed the APO’s readiness to continue supporting Cambodia through agreed technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, capacity development, and access to regional and international productivity expertise as the development plan moves toward implementation.

The APO looks forward to continued collaboration with MISTI, the NPCC, and Cambodian stakeholders in advancing productivity-led growth and building institutional capabilities that support Cambodia’s long-term development aspirations.

About the ICDP for the NPCC

The Institutional Capability Development Plan for the National Productivity Centre of Cambodia is an APO-supported institutional development publication prepared to guide the strengthening of the NPCC’s mandate, governance, organizational systems, human resources, service delivery model, partnerships, and performance management practices.

About the Asian Productivity Organization

The Asian Productivity Organization is an intergovernmental organization established in 1961 to promote productivity as a key enabler of socioeconomic development and organizational and enterprise growth. The APO supports national productivity organizations, promotes productivity improvement tools and methodologies, conducts research, and disseminates productivity-related knowledge across its 21 members.

For details, contact the APO Digital Information Unit: pr@apo-tokyo.org.

Website: https://www.apo-tokyo.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3d005433-2bcc-4250-9e68-8e0d946fe728.