Multilateral development assistance

Cambodia’s economic outlook remains positive and the economy is forecast to grow at a robust 7 percent this year and next year, according to a report released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday. Growth in exports, strong foreign direct investment, growing tourist arrivals ...

Six countries pledged to enact $66 billion worth of projects over the next five years at the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit in Hanoi on Saturday, with Cambodia-specific projects scheduled to receive the least amount of funding of any participant. ...

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is forecasting that 44 percent of Cambodia’s total rice exports will be smuggled out of the country through informal channels this year, a persistent problem that weighs down profits and threatens to cripple the industry. ...

Cambodia should continue to see steady economic growth at about 7 percent this year despite potential investor caution that could arise ahead of July’s national election, officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) said on Wednesday. ...

Construction on a new tourist ferry port located about 6 kilometres from the provincial capital in Kampot province has been delayed, although a Tourism Ministry spokesman promised that construction would begin before the end of this year. ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is planning to establish a new $60 million program focused on developing local technical skills and increasing the competitiveness of Cambodia’s labour force in 2019, according to Minister of Labour Ith Sam Heng. ...

The Transport Ministry said yesterday it has asked the World Bank for a $110 million loan to upgrade National Road 4. Speaking after a signing ceremony with a Chinese company to repair two other national roads, Transport Minister Sun Chanthol said the ministry and the World ...

Environment ministers from the six countries of the Greater Mekong subregion endorsed a five-year environment agenda that includes more than $540 million worth of projects to spur green investments and increase environmental cooperation to help the subregion achieve sustainable growth. ...

The Ministry of Transport yesterday signed an agreement with a Chinese company to build a $9 million drainage system in Battambang town to reduce flooding. The project is being funded by aid provided by the Asian Development Bank for the greater Mekong subregion, which includes $44 ...

The economy will grow by 6.9 percent this year, according to projections from the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), spurred by the robust performance of the tourism, construction and garment sectors. ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday signed a $180 million package of loans and grants to Cambodia that are meant to improve the country’s roads, water supply and small-scale farms. One $70 million loan will go towards improving 147-kilometres’ worth of flood-prone stretches of National Road ...

The government and international funders have committed a further $66 million to a project to increase small farmers’ productivity, after yesterday claiming success in the program’s initial seven-year period. ...

The United Nations will provide a $8 million subvention to support the 2018 operations of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, which is tasked with the prosecution of the country’s former Khmer Rouge commanders.   ...

Politicians and civil society members in New York called on the United Nations to take harsh measures to restore democracy in Cambodia during a panel on Tuesday, even recommending leaving Cambodia’s seat at the UN empty and putting senior ruling party officials on a blacklist. ...

Rapid urbanisation in Phnom Penh in the past decade has created jobs and reduced poverty, but better urban planning, management and infrastructure are needed to avoid further sprawl, congestion and pollution, according to a new World Bank report released yesterday. ...

Cambodia may have reduced its levels of extreme poverty to the single-digits, but its middle class is nearly nonexistent and approximately half of its population remains highly susceptible to economic shocks, according to a World Bank report released yesterday. ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is considering plans to revamp the airport in Stung Treng province to increase air connectivity in the Great Mekong Subregion (GMS). ...

The government plans to borrow an additional 1 billion through Special Drawing Rights (SDR), or $1.4 billion, to meet its planned budget for next year, bringing the total national debt to $7.6 billion by the end of 2018 compared to the current level of $6.2 ...

Construction of the first seaport for tourist vessels in Kampot is due to start by the end of the year. The groundbreaking ceremony for the port project was previously scheduled for September, but was delayed. ...

In order to aid the inclusive and sustainable development of the country, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will continue to support Cambodia in improving disaster preparedness through strengthening its disaster management capabilities. ...

Despite better than predicted overall growth for global economies, the World Bank has slightly downgraded its 2017 forecast for Cambodia due to wage and price concerns in the Kingdom’s the garment industry as well as uncertainty surrounding next year’s national election. ...

A lead economist working with the Asia Development Bank (ADB) has said that Cambodia needs to rethink its economic model, which is heavily based on export-driven growth, as it prepares to shed least developed country (LDC) status, a transition that is expected to take place by ...

As the urban population continues to grow at rate of 2.6 percent per year, improving public transport and coming up with detailed urbanisation plans should be top priorities for authorities in Phnom Penh, as well as for other urban centres, including Sihanoukville and Siem Reap, ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $70 million loan to develop the Kingdom’s transportation infrastructure with the majority of the funding going towards improvements of national roads in Prey Veng, Siem Reap and Svay Rieng provinces.​ ...