Cambodia

UNCDF has been present in Cambodia since the early 1990s. Today, UNCDF offers catalytic finance models that unlock public and private resources in “last mile” environments, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF is presently implementing the Shaping Inclusive Finance Transformations (SHIFT) programme to accelerate financial inclusion and women’s economic participation in the ASEAN region. UNCDF-SHIFT advocates for pro-poor policies on the national and regional levels; utilizes big data analysis of Cambodia’s top banks to understand customer service needs and gaps; and invests in innovative business models that expand women’s economic participation and empowerment.

Under the SHIFT framework, through its Making Access Possible (MAP) diagnostic and programme, UNCDF supports the development and implementation of Cambodia’s financial inclusion roadmap and expands financial access for rural populations, and micro and small businesses.

The CleanStart programme supports clean energy policy development, and provides risk capital and technical assistance to competitively selected financial service providers and energy enterprises on a regional or national level in Cambodia.

In advancing the country’s local development, UNCDF is implementing its Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) programme, a global initiative designed to enable local governments to cope with the increased cost of building resilience against climate change and natural disasters.

In parallel to LoCAL, UNCDF’s Local Governments and Climate Change (LGCC) initiative seeks to further strengthen the role of local governments in fostering climate change resilience through sub-national planning and finance systems.

UNCDF also plays a vital role in the country’s healthcare through the Local Development Decentralized Health Services (LDDHS) initiative to support the transfer of primary public healthcare functions from central government to the district administrations. The programme works to maintain and modernize Cambodia’s district health centers, improve physical access to key locations, and provide around-the-clock access to quality public health services through effective and flexible staffing.