US secretary of State John Kerry has hailed the early success of the WECREATE Cambodia Centre, a US government-backed women entrepreneurship initiative launched last September in partnership with the StartUp Cup global accelerator program.

Addressing the Lower Mekong Initiative Ministerial Meeting in Vientiane, Laos, on Monday, he said initial feedback has encouraged the opening of a similar centre in Vietnam. The Cambodian project has already helped create more than 60 businesses and 250 new jobs, he said.

He stressed the importance of the project, pointing out that women represent about half the population, and “no economy can thrive unless women are empowered and equipped to contribute to a strong and stable and prosperous society”.