Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of Cambodia’s economy, contributing around 63 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). Prime Minister Hun Manet has called for public servants to dedicate themselves to supporting the sector by improving service delivery.
He issued the appeal during the launch of the “National Strategy for the Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 2026–2030” on the morning of October 22.
Manet noted that MSMEs are key partners of the government in creating jobs, increasing household incomes, promoting domestic production and strengthening the resilience of the national economy.
According to the results of the 2022 Economic Census, Cambodia had approximately 750,000 MSMEs, employing around three million people, of whom approximately 1.8 million were women.
“The census results show that MSMEs contribute around 63 per cent of GDP and provide more than 70 per cent of employment, excluding the agricultural sector,” said Manet.
Manet called on government institutions and public service officials to change their mindsets and approaches to public service delivery by reducing complicated procedures and embracing a spirit of supporting businesses rather than focusing solely on identifying violations, imposing penalties and issuing fines.
“The success of the [national strategy] cannot be achieved by any single institution, nor can it be considered the success of any one institution alone. Instead, it must be an achievement for the entire nation,” he said.
“When our MSMEs are strong, our national economy will also be strong and resilient. Our people will have jobs, earn decent incomes and live with dignity, moving towards the realisation of Cambodia’s Vision 2050,” he added.
The government has repeatedly outlined its vision of transforming Cambodia into an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income one by 2050.
The prime minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the private sector, production and investment.
He added that the Cambodian government was preparing legal instruments and several urgent measures that aim to promote MSMEs.
These measures include the establishment of an MSME coordination unit that will serve as a one-stop service centre for business registration and licence applications. The government also plans to launch a pilot project that will allow businesses to apply for registration, licences and other permits as a package through the CamDX platform, with simplified administrative procedures.
It is also preparing several draft legal documents and sub-decrees to support the sector.
“The Cambodian government is business-friendly and supports production and investment. We will continue to stand alongside businesspeople, particularly MSMEs, supporting them and moving forward together in the spirit of ‘thinking together, working together and sharing responsibility’ to build a prosperous socioeconomic society,” said Manet.