On 30 December 2020, H.E. Ms. Pattarat Hongtong, Director – General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand  and H.E. Mr. Im Sour, Deputy Secretary General of Council for the Development of Cambodia the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) co-chaired the 15^th Consultation on Technical Cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia (via video conference). Representatives from several Ministries and agencies of Thailand and Cambodia also attended the meeting.

Both sides acknowledged the implementation progress of 26 development projects. There were 20 implemented development projects in three areas of cooperation (Health, Agriculture, Education) under the 1^st Thailand – Cambodia Three-Year Development Cooperation Programme (2017 – 2019/2020) as well as 6 development projects in other important areas that are in line with Cambodia’s National Development Strategy, e.g. skill development of labour along the border, anti-human trafficking, community development based on the application of SEP, and OVOP development.

 The meeting noted with satisfaction the progress of development cooperation in Human Resource Development (HRD) sector which is the backbone of Thailand – Cambodia Development Cooperation. Thailand reaffirmed her continued support for Cambodia’s capacity building through all possible channels, e.g. Annual International Training Course (AITC), Thailand International Postgraduate Programme (TIPP) as well as trilateral cooperation and regional cooperation toward revitalizing global partnerships as indicated in Goal 17 of SDGs.

The Cambodian side expressed her appreciation to the Thai side and satisfied with the development cooperation between the two countries over the past three years, which yielded fruitful results and helped support the socio-economic development in Cambodia, particulary Sustainable Community Development Project based on the Application of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) in Dam Bok Vil, Banteay Meanchey, the Establishment of OVOP Regional Promoting Center, Communicable Diseases Surveillance, Prevention and Control including Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases.

Both sides agreed on 8 areas of cooperation in the 2^nd Thailand – Cambodia Development Cooperation Programme, namely: Health, Agriculture, Education, Economic Development, Community and Rural Development, Social Development, Environment and Human Resource Development. The remaining activities of the 1^st Thailand – Cambodia Three-Year Development Cooperation Programme will be incorporated into the 2^nd Deveopment Cooperation Programme and completed at the earliest opportunity. Development projects to be implemented in the next three years will base on Cambodia’s National Development Strategy and in response to COVID-19 pandemic. The Thai side is keen to share experience and expertise in promoting security and resilience in 4 key areas namely: health security, job security, food security and energy security.

Thailand will host the 16^th Consultation on Technical Cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia in Thailand in the third quarter of 2021.