ជា វុទ្ធី, secretary-general of the Cambodian Investment Committee at the Council for the Development of Cambodia, encouraged more Australian investment in cashew processing, rubber processing, plantation timber and wood products in Cambodia.
He made the invitation during a June 17 meeting with an Australian delegation led by Michael Growder, First Assistant Secretary responsible for East Asia at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The delegation leader shared Australian experience in attracting foreign investment and outlined the government’s goal of promoting Australian direct investment into Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia.
The secretary-general described Cambodia’s investment environment, particularly progress and results in special economic zones, where he said most investors currently came from China. Cambodia is seeking investors from other countries through targeted overseas investment-promotion missions.
The development council is reviewing and reforming its institutions to strengthen Cambodia’s investment-promotion agency functions in line with international good practices. Cambodia plans further improvements to its investment and business environment to attract investors in new, high-value-added industries.
He highlighted cooperation with the Australian government, from the Cambodia Agricultural Value Chain programme, CAVAC, to the current Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development, CAPRED. The partners have worked in many areas, particularly agricultural and agro-industrial investment promotion.
He again encouraged Australian investment in agriculture and agro-industry, especially cashew and rubber processing, plantation timber and wood products, while Cambodia prepares mechanisms for developing agro-industrial parks.
By: ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត
