Prime Minister Hun Manet quelled rumors that his government would downsize or restructure ministries, saying Cambodia will maintain its current government structure for the moment, focusing instead on strengthening the efficiency of existing institutions.
Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of National Road and Provincial Road in Kratie province, Hun Manet said the government’s reform approach was based on “strengthening, not expanding”.
He said he was addressing the issue publicly to put an end to speculation that the government was preparing to downsize ministries and institutions.
“State reform is not an easy matter. We have to consider it from every angle,” he said.
Hun Manet’s comments came as researchers, politicians and analysts pointed to recent reforms in Vietnam where the government reduced the number of ministries and combined provincials.
He said Cambodia’s approach was different, noting that the country has focused on decentralization and bringing public services closer to people, while Vietnam has pursued “greater centralization”.
He acknowledged that reducing the number of ministries can bring benefits, including reducing overlapping responsibilities, consolidating institutions with similar functions and lowering administrative costs.
However, he stated that cutting ministries does not automatically make the government more efficient.
“If we only think about reducing the number, we can simply do it. But if we are talking about ensuring work efficiency, we have to consider the matter very carefully,” he said.
Hun Manet cited China and Vietnam as examples of countries that have undertaken major structural reforms over long periods. Vietnam’s reforms, he said, have taken more than a decade, while China began its process in 1982.
“You cannot implement it immediately and cut [ministries] immediately,” he said.
He also pointed to countries that have expanded their governments rather than reduced them, such as Indonesia, South Africa and India.
“So, which model is better?” Hun Manet asked. “It is not about the number. It is about efficiency.”
He said consolidating ministries could also create new challenges, particularly if several sectors were combined into a single large institution.
Merging ministries could also create large institutions that would be difficult to manage and would not necessarily reduce the number of civil servants or government spending, he remarked.
Instead of focusing on the number of ministries, the prime minister said the current reform agenda would examine whether existing institutions are organized effectively and if responsibilities overlap.
“At this point, we are not asking whether there are many or few. What we are asking now is whether the existing ministries and institutions are organized effectively,” he said.
The government will also seek to strengthen organizational structures, working systems and human resources, while adjusting the civil service workforce and reducing unnecessary departments.
He said now the government would also stop replacing officials who retire, as part of efforts to manage the size of the civil service.
“Cambodia is not simply following Vietnam or Indonesia,” he said, adding that “reform takes time”.
“For Cambodia, we need to choose what is best for Cambodia at each stage,” he said. “At this stage, the most effective and efficient approach is to maintain the current number of ministries and strengthen each ministry.”
The Cambodian government has nearly 30 ministries and institutions with around 230,000 civil servants as of January 2025.
However, it is seen that there is a census of officials in ministries and institutions from the Ministry of Public Service.
Hun Manet urged officials to remain calm after the discussion on “redundant” ministries, saying that even these issues that may appear minor can affect the civil servants.
However, he welcomed suggestions and participation from officials in shaping the government’s reform approach.
Independent political analyst Meas Nee viewed the government’s focus on strengthening existing institutions as a first step toward eventually reducing the number of ministries. However, he said, Cambodia may not be ready for a major restructuring.
“Reforming the administration and making the government structure smaller would be the best approach,” Nee told CamboJA News. “We do not have the right to force the government to follow our preferred approach.”
Nee said an immediate consolidation of ministries could create uncertainty over the roles of civil servants and potentially trigger political instability.
“Reducing the number of ministries would affect the allocation of responsibilities among officials. Where would those officials go? At present, the conditions are not yet favorable for such a move,” he said.
He said the government should instead pursue reforms gradually and assess whether ministries could eventually be consolidated without disrupting the political instability.
“This phase could be considered a step toward eventually reducing the number of ministries, but the process needs to be done gradually,” he said.
“Consolidating ministries carries a very high risk of political instability,” Nee said, adding that if the government later determines that consolidation is feasible, it could also help reduce national spending.
He has yet to see major changes in government administration since the current government took office in 2023, he said. “If we do not carry out strong reforms, the government will have to keep dealing with these problems day after day.”
