Phnom Penh, Cambodia – The Cambodian government is set to significantly increase its investment in cultural heritage protection, allocating 190,750.5 million Riel (approximately $46.52 million) to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts for 2026. This substantial budget aims to bolster efforts in safeguarding both tangible and intangible cultural heritage across the nation.
According to the “Budget in Brief Fiscal Year 2026” published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, this allocation represents an increase of 2,661.8 million Riel (approximately $600,000) compared to the 2025 budget. The total expenditure for 2026 will be distributed across three key programs, comprising 16 sub-programs designed to comprehensively address various aspects of heritage preservation and promotion.
A significant portion of the budget, 97,014.7 million Riel (approximately $23.66 million), is earmarked for the protection of tangible heritage, which is identified as a priority program. This specific allocation focuses on enhancing the conservation and promotion of tangible cultural heritage sites. Within this, approximately 17,164.3 million Riel (over $4 million) is dedicated to increasing the conservation efforts and elevating the value of these physical cultural assets.
Key heritage sites will receive substantial funding:
* The Angkor Archaeological Park region is allocated 61,678 million Riel (approximately $15 million).
* The Preah Vihear Temple and Koh Ker Temple resort areas will receive 8,233.3 million Riel (approximately $2 million).
* The Sambor Prei Kuk Temple resort area is designated 4,418.2 million Riel (approximately $1 million).
* Additionally, 5,520.9 million Riel (approximately $1.3 million) is allocated for supporting tangible cultural heritage protection services at the provincial and capital city levels.
For the program dedicated to promoting intangible cultural heritage, which includes three sub-programs, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts will spend 22,266.2 million Riel (approximately $5 million). This includes 2,455 million Riel (approximately $600,000) for strengthening the conservation of intangible cultural heritage, 11,746.4 million Riel (nearly $3 million) for promoting its value, and 8,063.8 million Riel (approximately $1.9 million) for supporting intangible cultural heritage promotion services at the provincial and capital city levels for 2026.
Finally, 71,469.6 million Riel (approximately $17 million) has been set aside for institutional management and general support services of the Ministry. This includes 41,927.2 million Riel (approximately $10 million) for strengthening the capacity and efficiency of its various units. Within this, 2,880 million Riel (approximately $700,000) will support human resource training in the cultural sector at the secondary level, and 3,900.7 million Riel (nearly $1 million) for higher education training. Further allocations include 385 million Riel (approximately $90,000) for strengthening the work mechanisms of the National Committee for World Heritage, 395 million Riel (approximately $1 million) for the Cambodian National Commission for UNESCO, and 21,981.7 million Riel (approximately $5 million) for supporting institutional management and general administrative affairs at the provincial and capital city levels.
This increased budget underscores the Cambodian government’s unwavering commitment to preserving its rich cultural legacy for future generations and showcasing it to the world.
