Niem Chheng The Phnom Penh Post Wed, June 10, 2026

The restoration of the 9th century Phnom Bakheng temple in Siem Reap province. Photo: ThmeyThmey Digital Media

PHNOM PENH – The US embassy in Phnom Penh announced today, June 10, that Cambodia is the recipient of the prestigious AFCP Freedom 250 Special Edition grant, a fund provided to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence and the 25th anniversary of the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).

The fund will be implemented by World Monuments Fund (WMF), for the Foundations of Freedom: World Monuments Fund and the Phnom Bakheng Temple Conservation Project. The funding will advance conservation work at the temple, located within the world-renowned Angkor Archaeological Park, according to an embassy press release.

“This grant is a symbol of the longstanding partnership between our two countries,” said embassy acting deputy chief of mission Katherine Diop, during the ICC-Angkor/Sambor Prei Kuk session in Siem Reap.

“For a quarter- century, the AFCP has helped safeguard Cambodia’s treasures. By combining American innovation with local expertise, we will ensure historic sites like Phnom Bakheng are preserved for generations to come,” she added.

According to the release, WMF has worked at Angkor Archaeological Park since 1989, exemplifying what the embassy described as “decades of American leadership, excellence and collaboration in international cultural stewardship”.

“This latest grant also celebrates a major milestone: Two decades of continuous US AFCP support specifically dedicated to Phnom Bakheng,” it said, adding that to date, the US has invested over $5 million in AFCP projects in Cambodia and over $4 million at Phnom Bakheng alone, making Cambodia the second largest AFCP recipient worldwide.

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