Phnom penh: The Royal Government and the private sector for the manufacturing, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and services sectors convened to find practical solutions to enhance Cambodia's business landscape during the fourth meeting of Working Group "C" of the Government-Private Sector Forum held on August 6.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the private sector laid out 13 significant challenges impacting business operations. These included issues related to salt production and imports, access to finance, investment incentives, electricity costs, business licensing procedures, implementation of environmental regulations, shortages of skilled labor, cashew processing, product certification, the development of enterprises in the informal economy, and bolstering compliance among online businesses to ensure fair competition.
H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation and Co-Chair of Working Group "C", emphasized the forum's role as a tool for implementing practical solutions. "The value of this Government-Private Sector Forum mechanism lies not in the number of issues raised, but in our ability to transform challenges into solutions that are clear, actionable, and measurable," he stated. He further highlighted that many private sector challenges arise from the gap between policy, implementation, and the practical realities faced by businesses.
The discussions took place in an open and constructive atmosphere, where all issues and proposals were examined at both technical and policy levels. The meeting resulted in several specific follow-up measures, such as simplifying regulatory and administrative procedures, speeding up the digitalization of public services, strengthening support for informal economy operators, expanding industry-driven skills development, and providing technical, financial, and market support to enterprises. The meeting also emphasized enhancing inter-agency coordination and establishing monitoring mechanisms to ensure the effective implementation of the agreed measures.
Working Group "C" of the Government-Private Sector Forum acts as a platform for the Royal Government and the private sector to collaboratively address policy, regulatory, and implementation issues affecting the manufacturing, SME, and services sectors. This mechanism seeks to transform private sector challenges into practical reforms and solutions that enhance Cambodia's competitiveness and promote private sector development.