Consultation workshop to inform research on foreign investment and investment incentives in Cambodia

On 01 September 2026, Open Development Cambodia Organization (ODC) held a validation workshop at the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (AmCham) for its new Open Data and Investment Climate Reform project, supported by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). The workshop brought together thirteen representatives from the private sector, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to provide input on ODC’s upcoming research on foreign investors and the development of a publicly accessible investment incentives profile. Held early in the project, the workshop gave ODC an opportunity to gather stakeholder perspectives and ensure the research and profile respond to relevant information needs and experiences.

A key component of the project will be research into the experiences of foreign investors operating across different sectors in Cambodia. The research will examine issues including investors’ access to information, understanding of investment incentives, experiences navigating the investment framework, and challenges they may encounter when making or expanding investments. ODC will conduct key informant interviews (KIIs) with foreign investors and other relevant stakeholders. Feedback from the consultation will help ODC identify priority sectors and respondents, refine research questions, and identify relevant sources and stakeholders for the research.

The workshop also provided a space for participants to share perspectives on the availability and accessibility of information related to investment incentives. These inputs will help ensure that the research addresses practical information gaps and reflects the experiences of those engaging with Cambodia’s investment environment. The second part of the workshop focused on ODC’s plan to develop a dedicated investment incentives profile page on its website. During the workshop, ODC introduced the concept of a profile page and invited participants to discuss what information, data, legal analysis, and user-friendly features would make the resource useful to different audiences. The planned profile is intended to provide accessible information for investors, businesses, civil society organizations, researchers, policymakers, and the broader public. Participants provided insights into the types of information that should be presented and how the profile could make investment incentive information easier to understand and access. Their feedback will contribute to the design of the profile, including its scope, content, presentation, and potential interactive features.

The workshop is an important first step in ODC’s broader effort to improve the transparency, clarity, and accessibility of information on Cambodia’s investment incentives. By engaging stakeholders before conducting the main research, ODC aims to ensure that the research questions and information collected respond to real-world needs. The findings from the research, together with stakeholder input from the consultation, will inform the development of the investment incentives profile and help make relevant information more accessible to a wider range of users.

ODC will continue engaging relevant stakeholders throughout the research and development process as it works toward providing structured, accessible, and user-oriented information on Cambodia’s investment incentives and investment environment.