The programme will support Cambodia’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery by supporting government reforms to enhance the investment and business environment; foster the growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs); and improve trade policy and trade facilitation, ADB said in a media release.

The ADB has approved a $50 million policy-based loan under subprogramme 1 of the Trade and Competitiveness Programme to support the Cambodian government to diversify the country’s economy and boost its competitiveness. The programme supports the development and diversification of MSMEs, improving their access to finance, and creating new markets for them.

“The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted key sectors of the Cambodian economy like garment, footwear, and textile manufacturing, as well as tourism and construction,” said ADB senior economist Sion L Morton. “The reforms under the programme will help Cambodia’s post-pandemic recovery prospects by paving the way for businesses to grow and migrate to higher value-added segments and adapt to the changing trade landscape.”

The Trade and Competitiveness Programme will help improve the overall business climate for both domestic and foreign firms. Under the first subprogramme, the government has enacted a new investment law to codify legal protections for investors, including those investing in special economic zones, and upgraded an online business portal to enable the timely issuance of specialised digital business licenses.

The programme supports the development and diversification of MSMEs, improving their access to finance, and creating new markets for them. This includes simplifying the legal definition of MSMEs and rolling out a government-funded assistance package to provide grants and technical support to MSMEs in priority industries with high female participation, added the release.

The programme will also help Cambodia improve the implementation of regional trade agreements and strengthen coordination on trade facilitation to provide more opportunities for Cambodian businesses to export their goods. As part of these reforms under subprogramme 1, the government has set up the National Committee on Trade Facilitation and approved the National Road Map on Trade Facilitation.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)