Photo courtesy of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA)
Peer cooperation: Cambodian delegation visits Finland to study social security system
A delegation from the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance and the National Social Protection Council (NSPC) will visit Finland from 21 to 25 October, to learn about the Finnish social security system and interact with institutional counterparts.
The mission, organised by the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Social Sciences with the support of the European cooperation initiative SOCIEUX+, will give six Cambodian officials the opportunity to learn about and exchange experiences on social protection system governance, pension systems, and the regulatory and supervisory functions of the social security operator.
A team of two experts mobilised by SOCIEUX+, Dr. Heikki Hiilamo of the University of Helsinki, and Dr. Audrius Bitinas from the Faculty of Law at Lithuania’s Vilnius University, will lead the study visit and moderate discussions between the Cambodian delegation and their peers. Participating institutions comprise the Finnish Pension Alliance (TELA), the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA), the Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK), the Finance Inspections, and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
The study visit will establish the groundwork for subsequent activities with SOCIEUX+, which is supporting NSPC to establish the supervisory and regulatory functions of the nascent social security system in Cambodia.
Framework and context: Social protection system in Cambodia
In March 2017, the Royal Government of Cambodia adopted the National Social Protection Policy Framework (NSPPF), aiming to expand and reform the social protection system by 2025. NSPPF covers both social assistance and social security. Based on this framework, Cambodia is currently expanding its social protection system. Health insurance and pension systems for formal sector workers, as well as occupational health and safety reforms, are the primary concerns. To develop the social protection system, the National Social Protection Council (NSPC) has been established. It is responsible for coordinating and steering the development of social protection strategies and policies, and is composed of representatives from relevant ministries and institutions. Recently, in October 2019, a social security law has come into force. This law has accelerated NSPC’s efforts to define, normalise, and implement institutional functions to regulate social security operations.
According to the request submitted by the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance, SOCIEUX+ supports the newly established NSPC in crafting social protection policy in Cambodia. In particular, SOCIEUX+ actions will help the NSPC General Secretariat to understand their mandate and clarify their functions for the financial supervision of the social security system. The Cambodian authorities expect initial assistance in showcasing relevant international and EU best practices, and outline options for the design and function of a financial regulatory authority. In the second phase of technical assistance, concrete policy options for the introduction of financial regulations, adapted to the Cambodian context, will be jointly developed by NSPC staff and experts provided by SOCIEUX+.
About SOCIEUX+
SOCIEUX+ (EU expertise on social protection, work and employment) is an instrument of technical cooperation established and co-funded by the European Union. Based on the peer exchange model, SOCIEUX+ shares European knowledge and experiences through short-term missions, usually carried out by experts from different public administrations.
SOCIEUX+ offers assistance to more than 155 countries, responding to their needs in the areas of social protection and employment policy, through activities organised on demand. Since its inception in 2014, SOCIEUX+ has implemented more than 256 activities in 41 countries, with a total of 5,852 days of activities.
The initiative is implemented by an association led by Expertise France (EF), with the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), Belgian International Cooperation on Social Protection (BELINCOSOC), and Belgian Technical Cooperation (Enabel).
More information about SOCIEUX+ is available on our website: www.socieux.eu
