LDC Graduation: Asian Development Bank Reaffirms Its Support for Cambodia

As Cambodia moves toward graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reaffirmed its commitment to continued technical and policy support for the country's trade sector. The confirmation came during a courtesy meeting held on 6 August 2026 at the Ministry of Commerce in Phnom Penh.

Yasmin Siddiqi, ADB Country Director for Cambodia (left), and H.E. Cham Nimul, Cambodia's Minister of Commerce (right), during their meeting on 6 August 2026 at the Ministry of Commerce in Phnom Penh — Photo AKP

A courtesy meeting at the Ministry of Commerce

The meeting brought together H.E. Cham Nimul, Cambodia's Minister of Commerce, and Yasmin Siddiqi, ADB Country Director for Cambodia, along with her delegation. The Minister extended a warm welcome to the ADB delegation and expressed her appreciation for the progress achieved through joint initiatives in recent years. She highlighted the positive impact of ADB's ongoing technical assistance and policy actions in building the country's institutional capacity and improving Cambodia's trade competitiveness in regional and global markets.

Support built around the post-LDC transition

In response, Yasmin Siddiqi commended Cambodia's economic momentum and pointed to the trade opportunities emerging for the country. She reaffirmed ADB's readiness to continue providing tailored technical assistance to support the Kingdom's smooth transition out of LDC status — a pivotal economic milestone that, in her view, calls for genuine institutional readiness, structural reforms, and export diversification.

Toward new cooperation projects

Both sides also discussed ways to further strengthen their cooperation, including through the development of new technical assistance projects aligned with the current priorities of Cambodia's trade sector. The exchange reflected the shared commitment of the Ministry of Commerce and the Asian Development Bank to sustainable trade development, stronger institutional capacity, and Cambodia's continued economic transformation.

Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce

The Ministry of Commerce is the Royal Government of Cambodia's institution responsible for shaping and implementing the country's trade policy, both domestically and internationally. It oversees trade negotiations, export promotion and improvements to the business environment, at a time when the country is preparing for its graduation from Least Developed Country status.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB)

The Asian Development Bank is a multilateral financial institution whose mission is to support economic growth and poverty reduction across the Asia-Pacific region. Present in Cambodia for many years, it finances and supports projects across a range of sectors — infrastructure, education, the private sector, trade — and provides technical assistance to Cambodian public institutions as they carry out structural reforms.