Geneva: On 8 June 2026, Mr. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, held separate bilateral discussions with Mr. Atle Hoie, General Secretary of IndustriALL and Mr. Shoya Yoshida, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation for Asia and the Pacific (ITUC-AP), during the 114th session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to strengthen closer cooperation in promoting social dialogue, freedom of association and trade union capacity-building, as well as to discuss strengthening compliance.
In his working meeting with Mr. Atle Hoie, the Minister emphasized Cambodia’s strong tripartite structure, including: the Labor Advisory Committee, the National Minimum Wage Council, and the National Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, which are institutions serving social dialogue. He cited the growth of registered trade unions in Cambodia, which reflects the maturity of the development of trade union freedom and collective bargaining in Cambodia.
Mr. Atle Hoie welcomed Cambodia’s progress in strengthening tripartite mechanisms and industrial relations, and he also confirmed IndustriALL’s willingness to continue to work with the Cambodian side. To promote the implementation of the Cambodian agreement and improve working conditions in the textile, garment, footwear and travel and handbag sectors.
The two sides also discussed responsible business practices and supply chain due diligence, including Cambodia’s participation in Implement the ILO Declaration on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, the United Nations Guidelines on Business and Human Rights, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
In a separate meeting with Mr. Shoya Yoshida, Secretary-General of ITUC-AP, the Minister highlighted the important role of ITUC as the global voice of workers in global forums with tripartite constituents, aiming to achieve social justice for all. He affirmed Cambodia’s continued commitment to promoting freedom of association through tripartite mechanisms and social dialogue, which are fundamental to the Decent Work Country Programme 2024-2028.
He also proposed cooperation between the two parties, including: supporting the capacity of the federations, unions, and councils ITUC-Cambodia to ensure the important role of trade unions as an essential part of the tripartite mechanism, training for trade union leaders on international labour standards and working together to promote favorable conditions for social dialogue in the ASEAN region.
Mr. Shoya Yoshida highly appreciated Cambodia’s openness to strengthen social dialogue with trade unions and expressed interest in supporting Cambodian trade union capacity building so that trade union participation in the tripartite mechanism is quality, constructive and focused on the common interests of workers and the national economy.
At the same time, both parties also jointly committed to transparent tripartite cooperation, which is the most effective method to promote labor rights and harmonious industrial relations.
