Indonesia intends to expand cooperation with Cambodia in different areas, particularly science, technology and innovation as well as support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The intention was highlighted here on June 11 by H.E. Santo Darmosumarto, Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia, while paying a courtesy call on Cambodian Minister of Industry, Science and Technology and Innovation H.E. Hem Vanndy.

The Indonesian ambassador further proposed the signing of a memorandum of understanding focused on technological and digital transformation for the development of MSMEs, vocational training, and laboratory cooperation to ensure that products meet the standards of both countries’ markets.

For his part, H.E. Hem Vanndy highly valued the strong bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and Indonesia and welcomed Indonesia’s participation in the 20th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation (AMMSTI-20) in Siem Reap last week.

H.E. Hem Vanndy affirmed the ministry’s readiness to
sign the said memorandum and underlined the important role of MSMEs in the Cambodian economy by raising the Royal Government’s national strategy for the development of informal economy aimed at helping MSMEs enter into the system in order to benefit from social protection, skills development opportunities and so on.

Cambodia has currently around 750,000 MSMEs, while there are around 65 million MSMEs in Indonesia, representing an opportunity for Cambodia to draw on Indonesia’s vast experience.

Indonesia is Cambodia’s sixth largest trading partner and the trade volume between the two countries reached over US$1 billion in 2023.

On laboratory cooperation, H.E. Minister Hem Vanndy called for the establishment of alliance between laboratories of Cambodia and Indonesia with a view to facilitating the mutual recognition of test and laboratory results throughout ASEAN.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse