The Ministry of Commerce on November 19 cancelled the 15th edition of the Cambodia Import-Export Goods Exhibition due to Covid-19 concerns.

Originally scheduled to be held from December 15-18 at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre on Phnom Penh’s Koh Pich island, the Kingdom’s largest annual expo would have focused on promoting economic activities of sectors hit hard by Covid-19, according to an earlier announcement from the ministry.

Sok Darith, deputy director of the ministry’s General Directorate of Trade Promotion, told The Post on Monday that the ministry’s decision comes amid a wave of new global Covid-19 cases and resulting travel restrictions.

He said: “We’ve decided not to hold the 15th Cambodia Import-Export Goods Exhibition this year in keeping with the government’s Covid-19 guidelines.

“We’d normally welcome between 200 and 300 foreign companies to join us, but seeing as [representatives of] foreign companies would have to take some time off and go into a 14-day self quarantine, we couldn’t go through with it this year.”

On the other hand, he said the ministry is still preparing for two other trade fairs it recently postponed.

As part of the fifth season of its “Buy Cambodian Campaign” and slated to open in northern Siem Reap (November 21-24) and Preah Vihear (November 23-26) provinces, the events are now set to be held in mid-December, he added.