CIVIL society groups in Cambodia raised concerns about a limited budget after the Swedish government said it would phase out bilateral development cooperation by the end of this year.
The war in Ukraine forced the country to refocus its foreign aid, according to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Western donors have also criticized Cambodia for “backsliding” away from democracy over the past decade.
Civil society groups in Cambodia received about $17 million in aid from Sweden last year, according to the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
The agency said the money was used to strengthen human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
Cambodia has forged close ties with China under the leadership of former Prime Minister Hun Sen. The Southeast Asian country has maintained strong diplomatic links with many countries such as the U.S. and European nations.
