The Czech Republic has had a long history of relations with Cambodia. Former Czechoslovakia was an important economic and development partner for Cambodia especially in the second half of the 20^th century. The mutual cooperation was reestablished in 2008 when both countries agreed to transform existing financial debt of Cambodia to the Czech Republic (around USD 3 million) into so called development projects from debt resettlement. The Czech Government then listed Cambodia among priority partner countries for the Development Cooperation for the period 2010 – 2017 and started to fund projects in health, social care, education and renewable energy. In connection with the commencement of the debt resettlement and development projects (partially funded by the Czech Development Agency), the Czech Republic also reopened its Embassy in Phnom Penh in 2013.

Following a successful implementation of development projects from debt resettlement, the Czech Government decided to strengthen the cooperation by elaborating the Bilateral Development Programme of the Czech Republic and Cambodia. This document represents an inseparable part of the Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation, which was signed in Phnom Penh between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Council for the Development of Cambodia on 17 May 2018. The signed MoU sets up the framework and main priorities of the Development Cooperation between the two countries for 6 years till 2023.

The Czech Republic implements its Official Development Cooperation through the following instruments:

• Bilateral Projects
• Trilateral Projects
• Projects from the Debt Resettlement
• Small Scale Local Projects
• B2B Projects
• Temporary Expert Assignment
• Sending Teachers to Cambodian Universities

For more information about the Development Cooperation of the Czech Republic, please visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Czech Development Agency.