Study on Policies and strategies towards effective private sector-led growth and job creation in Southern Africa

The Project at A Glance

ASEAN regional integration offers a strong potential for Cambodia’s economy to become more diversified and competitive by means of expanding intra-regional trade. ARISE+ programme serves this ambition, by supporting both public and private sector to transpose this vision into reality.

International Economics, together with GOPA, the consortium partner, with funding from ARISE+ programme is supporting private sector in their re-orientation and expansion towards the ASEAN markets, and with the government agencies that shape the policies affecting business environment for the SMEs.

What We Found

Cambodia is an attractive ASEAN destination for trade and investment providing significant opportunities for integration into regional and global value chains (GVC). The Government of Cambodia has clearly articulated the role of SMEs in moving the economy forward and announced several SME support measures, however the private sector is lacking awareness on business opportunities provided by preferential market access within ASEAN.
Consortium’s team is assisting the ARISE + programme in implementation of result area that deals with enhancing private sector engagement and works towards changing the goal of better equipping SMEs for global markets and global competition. The overall aim is diversification of export markets and products, increase in in-country value addition and positive impact on employment. The team is focusing on female-owned or led businesses and rural or semi-urban businesses, the most vulnerable SMEs.

Our Strategy and Impact

The Cambodia’s Trade Integration Strategy Update (CTISU) 2019-2023 highlights the potential of SMEs to become ‘indirect exporters’ through backward linkages or to become suppliers to global VCs directly. However, the CTISU also points out that this requires a shift from reactive to proactive business development approach by SMEs and strengthening of their export skills.
The tasks of our Team are structured along three complementary fields of activities:

SME Export development – technical assistance to SMEs with high export potential, both directly and through the disbursement of local subsidies to BSOs (associations, chambers, etc.);
Trade Information – enhancing the capacities of project partners to provide reliable, relevant and up-to-date information to the exporters through the development of various knowledge products; and
Trade advocacy – strengthening the voice of SMEs in public-private dialogue structures.

Our Core Solutions

As businesses seek to expand operations into new markets, the need to explore global supply chains and understand the international regulatory framework becomes crucial. At International Economics Consulting, we build tailor-made strategies for both import and export-oriented business solutions.