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PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA – On the morning of Wednesday, 30 September 2026, Neak Oknha Kith Meng, President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Cambodia, attended and delivered keynote remarks at the Seminar on Cambodia’s Investment Horizon themed "Seizing Investment Opportunities and Unlocking Capital through the Bond Markets."
The seminar was jointly organized in Phnom Penh by the Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF) in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) and the Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia (CGCC). The event aimed to build capacity and raise awareness among market participants regarding guaranteed bond issuances, as well as to facilitate public-private dialogue to explore innovative financing models and propel the development of the Cambodian Riel bond market.
The seminar was attended by H.E. Sou Socheat, Delegate of the Royal Government in charge as Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC); Ms. Noriko Nasu, Chief Executive Officer of the Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF); alongside representatives from regulatory authorities, market issuers, investors, arrangers, business leaders, and national and international financial institutions.
Speaking at the seminar, Neak Oknha Kith Meng highlighted the resilience of the Cambodian economy, which continues to sustain a growth rate of 5% to 6% in the post-COVID-19 era. Anticipating Cambodia's upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status to middle-income status, Neak Oknha stressed that Cambodia must transition beyond traditional bank loans and reliance on Official Development Assistance (ODA). Instead, it must strengthen its domestic financial ecosystem and develop a robust Cambodian Riel bond market.
Neak Oknha, President added that developing local currency bond markets offers an optimal path for domestic enterprises to raise capital for supply chain expansion and green infrastructure without diluting corporate ownership or management control. Furthermore, expanding both sovereign and corporate bond markets is critical for advancing national policies on local currency usage, hedging foreign exchange risks, and reinforcing national economic sovereignty.
Finally, Neak Oknha Kith Meng urged all stakeholders to leverage the Government-Private Sector Forum (G-PSF) mechanism to collaborate with the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce in shaping policy and regulatory frameworks that effectively convert domestic savings into sustainable national development capital.
