A man accesses a business registration website through the online information technology platform. Post Staff
Cambodia is making concerted efforts to enhance its ability to attract both domestic and international investors through a series of newly introduced official strategies aimed at encouraging direct investment and partnerships with local businesses.
The “Strategy on the Development of Electronic Services for Business 2025–2028” was officially launched on April 23 by Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth, who serves as chairman of the ministry’s Digital Economy and Business Committee.
Pornmoniroth noted that digital technology plays an active role in all social and economic sectors globally, including here in the Kingdom. It has become a vital driver of economic growth and resilience that cannot be ignored.
“Within the private sector, the adoption and utilisation of digital technology is a new priority. It contributes to improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, connecting supply chains and ensuring competitiveness in the market,” he explained.
According to the minister, digital technology also plays a key role in the public sector by enabling data sharing and interconnectivity, reducing bureaucratic complexity, enhancing public administration, promoting transparency and improving Cambodia's overall business environment.
During the launch event, Pornmoniroth made several key recommendations.
He called for close coordination between ministries/institutions and the Digital Economy and Business Committee, as well as the Public Administration Reform Committee, to prioritise public services and transition them into digital services for businesses. This includes reviewing related services to streamline procedures, adjust service fees and consolidate or eliminate overlapping or low-value services.
Ministries/institutions must collaborate with the Inter-Ministerial Working Group Secretariat and the Digital Government Committee to develop IT systems that support electronic services based on technical guidelines.
Institutions managing core data must modernise their data systems and share such data within the “Digital Ecosystem for Business” via the CamDX platform to reduce duplicate data entry, eliminate unnecessary document requirements and improve data quality through verification.
The finance ministry, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and the National Bank of Cambodia, which manage key public digital infrastructures (e.g., CamDigiKey, CamDX, Bakong and Verify.gov.kh), must continue to upgrade these platforms to support system interoperability, security and efficiency.
Ministries/institutions, under coordination from the public administration and digital government reform committees, must develop capacity-building plans for the staff responsible for delivering digital business services, so they can adapt to new workflows, improve service quality and increase private sector trust.
All ministries/institutions must actively promote awareness of their electronic services to the business community.
Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, told The Post on April 23 that he expected the implementation of the new strategy to bring numerous benefits to businesses, especially by reducing unnecessary expenses and bureaucracy, which will simplify the investment process.
“Modernising and expanding the use of digital systems will play a significant role in attracting more investors. This strategy aligns with global development trends,” he added.
Finance ministry secretary of state Kong Marry noted that over the past four years, the Cambodian government has shown strong commitment to promoting digital transformation of public services to foster a more favorable business environment and improve international competitiveness.
He also explained that in 2019, the government established an inter-ministerial working group to oversee business registration via digital platforms, and then launched Phase 1 of the Online Business Registration (OBR) system in 2020. This phase focused on bundled business registration and qualified investment projects (QIP).
Marry added that the bundled registration system has helped businesses by reducing costs by about 40% and processing time to just 8 working days.
Following Phase 1, the government expanded to Phases 2 and 3, which now cover licensing, permits and professional certificates across various sectors, with participation from 21 ministries and institutions.
According to the Online Business Registration system (Single Portal), from its launch on June 15, 2020, until December 31, 2024, a total of 42,325 companies/enterprises were registered through the platform. Total registered capital amounted to 64 trillion riel (approximately $15.6 billion). Among these businesses, 37% are women-owned.
