Cambodian Economist Urges Reforms to Boost Competitiveness and Investment

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Sept.25, 2025) — A leading Cambodian economist has called on the government to review its competitiveness strategy and fully implement the investment law to attract more foreign and domestic investors.

Ky Sereyvath, an economic specialist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the country’s low productivity stems from three key challenges: bureaucratic inefficiencies and corruption in logistics, high fixed electricity costs compared to regional peers, and a labor force lacking specialized skills and productivity.

“These three factors weaken Cambodia’s ability to compete with other countries,” Sereyvath said. “To improve, Cambodia must fully enforce its investment law and ensure equal treatment for both foreign and local investors.”

He added that addressing these structural issues is essential for long-term economic growth and for positioning Cambodia as a competitive destination for manufacturing and trade.

Despite these concerns, Cambodia’s export performance has shown strong growth. According to the General Department of Customs and Excise, the country exported $20.18 billion worth of goods from January to August 2025 — a 14.8% increase compared to $17 billion during the same period last year.