Prime Minister Hun Sen addresses a government working group meeting on June 19. SPM
Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced plans to transition from the existing Rectangular strategy to a more comprehensive “Pentagon” strategy aimed at government modernisation and growth. This strategic change is intended to be implemented under the next mandate of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), should it win the July 23 national election.
“As a result of the successfully implemented Rectangular strategy of the previous mandate, in the next mandate, a CPP-led government would introduce and implement political programmes of the Pentagon strategy intended to modernise the government and facilitate growth,” said Prime Minister Hun Sen.
On June 19, the premier chaired a meeting at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh to discuss the government’s achievements under the Rectangular strategy, set the course for future work, and unveil plans for the Pentagon strategy.
“We are preparing a Pentagon strategy, building on the foundations of the Rectangular one, to enhance the efficiency and growth of government leadership,” he said.
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Hun Sen said the government has effectively executed the Rectangular strategy phase IV over four mandates. The impending Pentagon strategy signifies a major shift in the government’s approach to managing the country’s development.
Post-election, the government plans to evaluate and realign working groups at grassroots levels, both in Phnom Penh and the provinces. The aim is to optimise efficiency and drive Cambodia towards becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030. The Rectangular strategy focused on promoting the agricultural sector, infrastructure restoration, private development and building human resource capacities.
CPP spokesman Sok Eysan confirmed that the Rectangular strategy had yielded several accomplishments across multiple sectors, contributing to the betterment of Cambodian society. Details of the Pentagon strategy are yet to be released, with Eysan indicating potential adjustments based on situational and logistical demands.
“We have laid out these triangle, rectangular and pentagon strategies according to the needs of the nation and people,” Eysan added.
Government spokesman Phay Siphan told The Post that significant goals had been achieved under the Rectangular strategy.
“We are looking forward to an increased focus on human resource training, particularly in digital technology, aligning with global trends,” he said.
Yang Kim Eng, president of the People’s Centre for Development and Peace, observed positive results from the rectangular strategy, but also highlighted concerns in the labour sector, notably salary levels and human resource alignment with market demands.
“The important issue is that we still lacked the efficient use of human resources. How do we use the resources we trained for the sake of the society? In my opinion, this is loopholes in the Rectangular strategy,” he stated.
Eng urged the government to focus on effective utilisation of trained resources and on fostering domestic human resources in accordance with global standards and societal needs. He also recommended an increase in state capital in the agricultural sector and the development of irrigation systems to support farmers.
