(Left to right) Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sokhon and Minister attached to the prime minister and secretary-general of the CDC Sok Chenda Sophea along with Australian ambassador to Cambodia Pablo Kang. SUPPLIED
The website of the Agri-food Investment Desk (AFID) at the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) launched along with promotional videos on July 15 to showcase the achievements of Cambodia-Australia cooperation in promoting agricultural investments in Cambodia.
The event was organized by the CDC in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Cambodia-Australia Agricultural Value Chain programme (CAVAC) with support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), according to the June 15 press statement.
It was presided over by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sokhon and Minister attached to the prime minister and secretary-general of the CDC Sok Chenda Sophea along with Australian ambassador to Cambodia Pablo Kang and more than 140 other participants including members of the diplomatic corps and representatives from other ministries and institutions as well as from the private sector.
The programme is a testimony reflecting the fruitful achievement of the cooperation between Cambodia and Australia on accelerating activities to promote investments in the agri-food sector as a priority to contribute to food security, poverty reduction through jobs creation, and the promotion of economic growth and environmental sustainability, the statement said.
“The AFID's website and the promotional videos will contribute to boosting investments and enhancing the development of the agri-food sector, as well as improving the competitiveness in the agricultural sector.
“The operation of the AFID at the CDC will help strengthen Cambodia's agri-food sector to become more resilient through the diversification of resources and investment format by adopting technology and innovation in this sector, while creating higher value-added employment for Cambodians,” said the press statement.
The CDC’s secretary-general Chenda Sophea expressed his profound gratitude to all stakeholders for their assistance and cooperation in bringing to life the AFID at the CDC.
He said this website is a one stop portal that will provide information and assistance to investors on how to take advantage of the unique untapped opportunities of Cambodia's agricultural resources and moreover on how to make the most of the attractive incentives from the Law on Investment.
Chenda Sophea said that the CDC’s dedicated team will accompany and guide investors every step of the way to ensure rapid returns on investments and support the betterment of farmers' and their families’ lives.
Australian ambassador Pablo Kang affirmed that his government was committed to supporting Cambodia's economic development process, especially by increasing productivity in the agricultural sector through jointly promoting investment in the agri-food sector.
“This official launch of the AFID's website at CDC and the promotional videos are new achievements and testimonials of Australia's contributions and complementarity to the Royal Government of Cambodia's efforts in promoting, attracting and retaining investments in the agriculture, agribusiness and agri-food sector,” Kang said as quoted in the press statement.
Agriculture minister Sakhon said he appreciated the efforts of Cambodia’s development partners and highly commended them for the excellent collaboration, particularly by the CDC and the Australian embassy which provided both technical and financial support to promote investments in the agriculture and agro-industry sectors in Cambodia.
He also congratulated and fully supported the official launching of the AFID's website at the CDC and its promotional videos.
Chenda Sophea also praised the Australian embassy for their role in providing technical assistance to accelerate the recovery of the Cambodian economy in the post-Covid-19 new normal.
He also stated that the core role of the CDC in promoting, facilitating, and incentivizing investments, as well as providing investment aftercare services was in-line with the spirit of the Law on Investment of the Kingdom of Cambodia, which was promulgated in 2021.
In June of this year, the CDC approved some 400 investment projects in the agriculture, agro-industry and food processing sector with investment capital of about $10.33 billion, according to the CDC.
The AFID's website can be accessed at https://afid.cdc.gov.kh/
