The meeting between the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Automotive and Electronics Sectors Development Advisory Council on October 10. - Photo: CDC
PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian government is striving to promote the development of the automotive and electronics industries in the country to keep pace with global advancements.
The effort is being carried out through discussions with the private sector and relevant stakeholders to identify challenges and solutions aimed at further advancing the two sectors.
Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, first vice-president of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), chaired a meeting on Thursday (Oct 10) of the Automotive and Electronics Sectors Development Advisory Council, marking its second session.
The meeting was attended by key private sector representatives, including Ngorn Saing, CEO of RMA (Cambodia) Plc and co-chair for the automotive sector, and Yoshihiro Sakanushi, chairman of Minebea (Cambodia) Co Ltd and co-chair for the electronics sector, along with around 100 stakeholders.
A CDC press release stated that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the prioritisation of measures outlined in the council’s roadmap, current conditions and challenges in the automotive and electronics sectors and the private sector’s involvement in advancing the two industries.
Chanthol highlighted that the council meeting is crucial because it will play a key role in supporting the implementation of the development roadmap.
During the meeting, private sector representatives expressed their willingness to collaborate with the government by providing suggestions to help improve both supportive and restrictive measures affecting the development of the country’s automotive and electronics industries.
Chhin Ken, president of the Cambodia Digital Tech Association (CDTA), told The Post on October 11 that awareness and use of technology have surged rapidly in recent years, reflected in the growing use of electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers and online communication platforms.
"The number of people studying and researching technology in Cambodia is increasing, as learning, work and most businesses, especially in urban areas, require the use of technological systems," he added.
During the inauguration of a Toyota assembly plant in May, Prime Minister Hun Manet announced that the country had six automobile assembly factories, four of which were already operational, while the other two were still in the process of testing their production lines.
He noted that the factories are in Phnom Penh and Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Koh Kong, Svay Rieng and Kandal provinces.
Manet mentioned that the country envisions transforming into a hub for automotive assembly and electronics manufacturing, with the goal of exporting to both regional and global markets.
He said that achieving this goal will bring significant positive impacts on the country’s social and economic development and emphasised that the roadmap for developing these sectors is crucial for making this ambition a reality.
The prime minister stressed that key priorities include strategy and inter-institutional coordination, human resources and innovation, infrastructure, trade facilitation and improving the business and investment environment.
In addition to the automobile assembly factories, Cambodia also has several factories producing electronic components. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
