The Cambodia International Border Safeguard (CIBS) project is designed to strengthen national security and governance at international border checkpoints through evidence-based interventions. Baseline findings revealed critical weaknesses: no surveillance coverage, negligible data storage capacity, absence of standardised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and limited officer training. These gaps leave border operations reactive, fragmented, and vulnerable to cross-border crime. The project addresses these challenges through three interconnected outcomes. Outcome 1 focuses on safeguarding immigration records and governance systems by installing security camera systems at 20 international border checkpoints, establishing a monitoring room at headquarters, and forming a working group of experienced immigration officers to develop SOPs and oversee real-time operations. These measures will reduce response times, enhance accountability, and deter potential crime. Outcome 2 strengthens collective evidence and post-event investigation by establishing high-capacity data storage systems and ensuring surveillance footage is admissible in investigations. This outcome enhances transparency, supports legal processes, and provides long-term evidentiary value. Outcome 3 builds institutional resilience through collective data analysis and risk management. A research group will analyse surveillance data to identify risks, develop SOPs, and integrate them into training programs for frontline officers. SOPs will be disseminated, updated annually, and used as core materials for new recruits, ensuring standardised practices across all checkpoints. Together, these outcomes create a comprehensive framework for border governance reform. By combining infrastructure deployment, institutional strengthening, and capacity building, the project ensures that Cambodia’s border management system evolves from reactive to proactive, grounded in evidence and aligned with international best practices. Ultimately, the CIBS project promotes national security, dignity, and unity while laying the foundation for sustainable and scalable reforms.
