Cambodia Development Resource Institute in collaboration with ANZ Royal Bank organized the eighth annual Outlook Conference to examine Cambodia’s development achievements, strategies, and provide policy recommendations for sustainable development. H.E. Dr. Sok Siphana stated that this year’s conference focuses on competitive reform, enhancing the business environment, strengthening the rule of law, promoting community access to services, building a more skilled labor force, providing quality education for young people, enhancing public and private sectors relationship to meet challenges and take advantage of opportunities presented by the ASEAN Economic Community.
In Samdech Techo Hun Sen’s address he emphasized the need to advance deeper reform for national development based on Cambodia Vision 2030 Statement, Phase III of the Rectangular Strategy for Growth, Employment, Equity and Efficiency, and the National Strategic Development Plan for 2014-2018. Under this policy framework, development is focused on the following areas:
The Prime Minister stated that Cambodia has made much development progress over the last 20 years, averaging 7.7 percent growth rate with modest inflation. Poverty rates over the last ten years have dropped to 20 percent. Clearly signs that economic growth has helped improve livelihoods across the country. The government plans to continue to advance Cambodia’s development through the implementation of the Rectangular Development Plan for 2014-2018 to sustain Cambodia’s development in the next five years.
During the session focusing on “Skilling Cambodia: Human Resources Development and Education for a Competitive and Creative Cambodia” panelists cited that Cambodia still faced many gaps (skills, labor, infrastructure, public and private services, etc) that need to be filled in order to be competitive in an integrated region.
In the next session on “ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015 and Regional Integration: What does it really mean for Cambodia?,” panelists challenged Cambodia’s public and private sectors to be ready and prepared for regional competition.
Given the challenges and gaps mentioned during the
conference, it is not clear whether Cambodia should
be competing with other ASEAN member states to
sustain its development. Even more, considering
Cambodia’s development progress over the past 20
years, it is not clear whether it has been driven by
market competition or market cooperation.
Cambodia should not be seduced by Western economic
rhetoric based on neo liberal ideology of free
market capitalism and competition that is driven by
greed and exploitation of people and resources. Being
a member of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations, Cambodia should remember that “cooperation”
is one of ASEAN most cherished values. It
would gain more from cooperating with other ASEAN
member states and being part of the value chain.
