The Cambodian government approved 36 investment projects in September 2026, bringing the total number of investment projects approved during the first nine months of the year to nearly 400.
According to the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) the projects approved in September alone have a combined investment capital of approximately $470 million, and are expected to create around 17,000 jobs.
Of the projects, 23 were registered by the CDC, with total capital of approximately $435 million, while the 13 projects registered by the Capital-Provincial Investment Sub-Committees accounted for $35 million in capital.
The 382 projects approved from January to September represent total investment capital of $5.9 billion.
“Notably, investment activity during the first nine months of 2026 continued to focus primarily on the industrial sector, while agriculture and agro-industry, tourism, and infrastructure showed an upward trend. This indicates the continued diversification of investment activities in Cambodia and reflects investors’ confidence in the country’s investment environment,” said the CDC.
Hong Vanak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post on October 16 that although the number of investment projects approved during the first three quarters of 2026 was lower than in the previous year, the results could still be considered progress for Cambodia amid ongoing challenges in the global political and economic environment.
He added that although the decline was unfavourable news, it was important to examine the sectors in which the CDC-approved projects were concentrated.
“If most of the projects are large-scale investments that use modern technologies and are not in the garment sector, then this is not a bad sign, as it would represent another step toward diversifying Cambodia’s manufacturing sector,” he said.
“If this is the case, I believe it would be a positive development because it would make Cambodia’s manufacturing sector more diversified, improve product quality to meet higher standards and advance its technological capabilities,” he noted.
In 2025, Cambodia approved a total of 630 investment projects worth approximately $10 billion, a 52% increase over 2024, when 414 projects were approved. Total investment capital increased by approximately 45%, from $6.9 billion.
The projects were projected to create as many as 438,000 jobs. Of the total, 387 projects were located outside special economic zones, while 243 projects were situated within special economic zones. No information was made available regarding the progress of the approved projects.