Ministry of Commerce's Thol Nara (left) meets Zimbabwean ambassador Constance Chemwayi at the ministry headquarters in Phnom Penh on August 18. MOC
Cambodia and Zimbabwe are keen to encourage private sectors in both nations to collaborate and explore trading opportunities. This is aimed at establishing a range of joint trade and business activities to boost bilateral trade, even though trade volumes between them have so far remained limited.
Thol Nara, acting director-general of international trade at the Ministry of Commerce, recently sat down with Constance Chemwayi, the newly appointed non-resident ambassador of Zimbabwe to Cambodia. Their August 18 meeting centred around discussions about the relationship between the two nations, as well as economic and trade cooperation.
Nara emphasised the importance of fortifying these bilateral ties. He envisions an expansion of business activities and a significant rise in bilateral trade volume during the ambassador's tenure.
"Cambodia has a range of exports including garment, footwear, travel goods and agricultural products like rice, cassava, cashew and fertilisers. These are products that Zimbabwean importers might find suitable for their markets,” he said.
“We have been urging the private sectors in both countries to come together, identifying potential trade items and initiating joint business endeavours to increase our trade,” he added.
Nara also suggested that both sides consider arranging study tours for Zimbabwean entrepreneurs and investors to some of Cambodia's leading special economic zones. The goal would be to offer these businesspeople a comprehensive insight into the primary industries, potential products and the overall business environment in Cambodia.
Chemwayi responded positively, expressing Zimbabwe's desire to enhance trade and economic ties between the two nations.
“During my tenure, I'll be motivating Zimbabwean traders, businesspeople and investors to delve deeper into Cambodian trade and investment opportunities. This will help in expanding our trade relations and push the bilateral trade volume to its full potential,” she asserted.
According to the commerce ministry, bilateral trade between Cambodia and Zimbabwe remains modest, though there has been a recent uptick. The trade volume reached $2.05 million in 2022, marking a substantial rise of almost 138.37 per cent from the previous year.
