PHNOM PENH – At the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2026 on March 4, Prime Minister Hun Manet said Cambodia offers “strategic advantages” for international investors, citing political stability, a supportive regulatory framework, macroeconomic resilience and a geographic position that favors trade and supply links.
He told attendees the economy expanded in 2025 and that the outlook remains steady, presenting opportunities for capital and new industries. The two-day summit gathered business leaders, investors and policymakers from across Southeast Asia under the theme “Transforming ASEAN: Innovation, Integration and Industrial Evolution.”
Investment climate pitch from the premier
Hun Manet said his government has prioritized predictability for businesses and investors, describing efforts to reduce jurisdictional risk, strengthen confidence and focus on competitiveness and continuity. His comments built on the government’s 2021 overhaul of investment legislation, which aimed to provide a more transparent, rules-based regime for both domestic and foreign investors.
“We have worked to create a secure and predictable operating environment that minimizes jurisdictional risks, enhances business and investor confidence, promotes competitiveness and ensures long-term business continuity,” he said during the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2026 on March 4.
He added that despite regional and global headwinds, Cambodia recorded 5.2 percent growth in 2025 and expects steady expansion in the coming years, saying the government intends to align future reforms with its long-term industrial policy and regional trade commitments.
Policy steps: anti-scam pledge and a multi-year reform program
To protect the business environment, Hun Manet said the government will move against criminal activity affecting investors and the public, vowing to eradicate online scam centers by April 2026. The pledge comes after growing concern that large-scale scam operations and associated trafficking networks have damaged the country’s reputation as an investment destination.
He also pointed to an inter-ministerial working group of more than 100 members that in late January launched the “Program to Promote the Business and Investment Climate in Cambodia 2025-2028,” a nationwide effort aimed at making it easier to operate and invest. The program is intended to coordinate implementation of the country’s updated Law on Investment and related regulations, with ministries tasked to streamline procedures, expand one-stop services and improve enforcement consistency across sectors.
Regional framing from Phnom Penh
Addressing wider pressures on energy, trade and crisis readiness, Hun Manet said recent global developments reinforce the need for ASEAN to:
– Diversify energy sources,
– Advance economic integration, and
– Strengthen crisis coordination mechanisms.
He framed Cambodia’s own infrastructure build-out and participation in regional trade agreements as part of that agenda, arguing that a more connected and resilient ASEAN supply chain would help shield member states from shocks in global demand, logistics and fuel prices.
Private sector view: finance ranking and a shift to higher-value manufacturing
Kith Meng, president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Cambodia, said perceptions of Cambodia have long been tied to post-conflict reconstruction and reliance on garments, but argued the country has adopted “strategic openness” and is positioning as an emerging digital and industrial hub.
Meng highlighted that, in the World Bank’s new Business Ready assessment, Cambodia ranked first in ASEAN in financial services with a score of 84.45 out of 100 – a result he linked to reforms and rapid digital adoption in payments and banking infrastructure. He said that performance offers a counterweight to investor concerns about enforcement capacity in other parts of the economy.
He also described an ongoing pivot toward electronics and auto components, saying it is supported by the 2025 national budget and incentives for export-oriented manufacturers operating in special economic zones.
“Cambodia is actively shifting toward advanced manufacturing, particularly in electronics and automotive components, supported by a $10 billion national budget in 2025 focused on modernization, competitiveness and economic sovereignty,” Meng said.
As the government targets higher-value industry, the national economy is projected to grow by 5 percent in 2026, according to official forecasts.
Summit snapshot
– Event: Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2026
– Date of prime minister’s address: March 4, 2026
– Location: Phnom Penh
– Format: Two-day meeting of CEOs, senior executives, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and regional leaders
– Theme: “Transforming ASEAN: Innovation, Integration and Industrial Evolution”
Hun Manet’s pledge to eliminate online scam centers by April 2026 is the government’s next stated step, positioned as an early test of how far Cambodia can match its investment-law commitments with visible enforcement and governance outcomes.
