Phnom Penh: On the morning of June 11, 2026, His Excellency Professor Aun Pornmoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, presided over the opening ceremony of the “First Cambodian Customs and SME Forum” under the theme “Supporting and Advocating for Small and Medium Enterprises to Boost Domestic Production and Competitiveness” organized by the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDEC) in collaboration with the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises of Cambodia (FASMEC).
The forum is attended by leaders of relevant ministries and institutions, private sector representatives, business associations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and many other stakeholders, with the aim of creating a platform for dialogue and strengthening common understanding between the Royal Government and the private sector to promote policies, listen to challenges, and find common solutions to promote local production and enhance the competitiveness of Cambodian enterprises.
On the occasion, Oknha Te Taing Por, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FASMEC, said that SMEs are an important driving force of the Cambodian economy, but still face some problems, such as obtaining financing, adopting technology, and entering the market.
The tycoon expressed his satisfaction with the organization of the forum and hoped that the collaboration between Akor and FASMEC would contribute to solving challenges and creating a more favorable business environment for SMEs.
At the same time, Dr. Kun Nhim, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister and Director General of the Customs Administration, highlighted that the Customs Administration has been implementing a continuous program to reform and modernize the customs sector to facilitate trade, reduce the cost of doing business, and strengthen the competitiveness of the private sector. Meanwhile, digitalization, the implementation of the National One-Stop Shop, and customs incentive measures for SMEs have contributed to reducing customs clearance times and improving public service efficiency.
In his opening speech at the forum, Professor Aun Pornmoniroth highlighted that the Royal Government always considers SMEs as a top priority in job creation. Promote local production and support national economic growth. Meanwhile, the Royal Government has also put in place several policies and measures to support SMEs, including fiscal incentives, improving the business environment, facilitating trade, strengthening access to finance, embracing digital technology, and developing skills.
The Honorable Professor also briefed the forum on the preparation of a national strategy on SME development and the preparation of a registration mechanism. and classify SMEs using the CamDX digital system to increase the convenience and efficiency of receiving support from the government.
On that occasion, the Akor and FASMEC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in supporting the development of SMEs with the aim of strengthening partnerships between the state and the private sector and establishing a mechanism for dialogue and information exchange more effectively.
Please note that the first Cambodian Customs and SME Association Forum will be held for 2 days, with technical presentations, discussions and a question-and-answer forum on key topics related to registration, SME support policies, fiscal incentives, trade facilitation and export-import promotion to contribute to supporting the development of SMEs in Cambodia to be stronger and more competitive.
