Cambodia’s Commerce Minister Calls for Circular Economy Shift at Sustainability Forum

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Sept.10, 2025) — Commerce Minister Cham Nimul on Wednesday urged stronger public-private collaboration to transition Cambodia’s economy toward sustainability, speaking at the Cambodia Circular Economy Forum under the theme “Roadmap to a Clean, Green and Sustainable Future.”

The forum, held at the Sun and Moon Riverside Hotel, was co-organized by the Ministry of Environment and Germany’s international development agency GIZ. It brought together senior officials, development partners, and private sector representatives, including Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth, Agriculture Secretary of State Keo Omaliss, and Matthias Giegerich, Director of GIZ Asia-Pacific.

Nimul said the global economy has long operated under a linear “take-make-waste” model that drives growth but comes at a high environmental cost. She called for a shift toward circular systems that reduce waste, reuse materials, and improve resource efficiency across manufacturing, services, and agriculture.

She outlined key mechanisms to support green compliance, including ASEAN’s green economy framework, EU environmental standards, and traceability across global supply chains. Cham also emphasized the role of digital tools such as electronic data interchange (EDI) in boosting transparency and trade facilitation.

Before concluding, Nimul encouraged stakeholders to help build Cambodia’s green entrepreneurship ecosystem, pledging the ministry’s full cooperation to promote sustainable investment and inclusive growth.