ODC joins the 2018 Cambodia Outlook Conference
“We want Cambodia to be a high-income country by 2050,” PM Hun Sen affirmed the ambitious prospect of Cambodia’s economy at the 2018 Cambodia Outlook Conference which Open Development Cambodia attended. The conference took place on Thursday, 15 March 2018 at the Hotel Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra. It was already the 12th time the Prime Minister attended this conference. This year’s theme of the annual Cambodia Outlook Conference was “Science and Technology for Industrialisation, Economic Growth and Development in Cambodia”, hosted by the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) in partnership with the ANZ Royal Bank.
2018 Cambodia Outlook Conference on “Science and Technology for Industrialisation, Economic Growth and Development in Cambodia”, co-organized by Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) in partnership with the ANZ Royal Bank at the Hotel Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, Phnom Penh.
During his keynote speech the Prime Minister explained which role technology and science play in Cambodia’s economic and social development. Smart-factories, the Internet of things, Industrialization 4.0; those are future technologies and concepts which will shape the global economy in the near future. For Hun Sen, this development does not only have positive sides. He also pointed out the potential risks coming with technological transformation, for example by asking: “What can we offer those who lose their job because of new technologies?” Hun Sen proposed to increase the number of researchers, to develop a stronger skilled workforce, support of Public Private Partnerships, and to strengthen intellectual property laws in order to support innovation. At the same time, the Prime Minister expressed his concerns about digitization: “Before, we were talking non-stop during meetings. Now, no one talks with each other anymore. We’re just looking at our phones.” He concluded: “That is digital society!”
The next speaker, Dr. Jonathan Wong, Chief of Technological Innovation at the United National Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), emphasised the role of the Sustainable Development Goals for economic growth. In his presentation, he pointed out that technological development is good for economic growth, but often at the cost of the environment and social standards. He called for inclusive innovation which benefits all, including the elderly, women, and the poor. Further, Wong noted that digital skills in the government, schools, NGOs and in all other fields are crucial for this process. In the future, Cambodia could benefit from digitization, he stated: “Imagine you work for a company in Cambodia, and you can just send your product details to London where the receiver can print the product with a 3D printer right away. There won’t be any shipping expenses anymore.” On a more critical note, Dr. Wong elaborated on crucial factors for a successful development of Cambodia. The country should not only focus on economic growth but also on jobs and the environment. He further elaborated: “If Cambodia wants to do something different than other developing countries in order to be able to compete with them, it should include women more.” Even though this proposal found support from the panel, the conference itself could not contribute to the goal of the inclusion of women: Only one out of 21 panelists was a woman.
