The cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Hun Manet approved a 2027 budget of about USD 11.7 billion on 2026-10-23, and on 2026-10-22 launched the National SME Development Strategy 2026-2030. Amid ongoing border talks with Thailand, the government pairs sovereignty defense with growth led by industry, services and agriculture.
What a Korean company can do now
Government · leader
King Norodom Sihamoni / Prime Minister Hun Manet
Key national agenda
- Defending sovereignty and territory; border talks with Thailand
- Stable livelihoods and targeted growth amid uncertainty (4.8% forecast for 2027)
- Industry, services and agriculture as growth engines
- Implementing the National SME Development Strategy (2026-2030)
- Larger sub-national budgets and 2027 reform measures
Government programmes
2027 national budgetabout USD 11.7 billion
Total KHR 47,655 billion; revenue KHR 32,327 billion (13.49% of GDP); spending target KHR 39,700 billion (16.57% of GDP)
Sub-national administration budgetKHR 7,955 billion
18.7% of state expenditure
National SME Development Strategy 2026-2030
Launched on 2026-10-22 with the Prime Minister attending
Funan Techo Canal phase 2about USD 1.7 billion
Started April 2026, PPP of about USD 1.7 billion, completion targeted for 2028 (per earlier record)
Business opportunities
SME export-readiness diagnosis and coaching program
🔒 Why-now and buyers — analysis member ₩19,800/mo
Budget and accounting automation consulting for local governments
🔒 Why-now and buyers — analysis member ₩19,800/mo
Open this week
Origin and labor compliance assessments for garment and manufacturing exporters
US tariffs and supply-chain scrutiny make compliance urgent.
Export manufacturers, industry associations
Multilingual AI customer service for tourism and services
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Free members get a human-reviewed summary by email for up to 3 countries a month (sent within 24h). BUILD members get them all.
Korean support schemes
- KOTRA Phnom Penh trade office · KOTRA — Supports market research, buyer sourcing and entry consultations for Cambodia.
- KOICA Cambodia country program · KOICA — Cambodia is a KOICA priority partner with ongoing grant projects and service contracts in rural development, health and education.
- EDCF concessional loans to Cambodia · Export-Import Bank of Korea (EDCF) — Infrastructure loans for roads and water supply offer design, supervision and construction roles for Korean firms.
- Export voucher overseas services · Ministry of SMEs and Startups / KOTRA — Market research and buyer matching costs for entering Cambodia can be covered by vouchers.
Official notices
Press and Quick Reaction Unit, Office of the Council of Ministers (Cambodia)
- 2026-10-24 PM speech at the 20th anniversary of UN peacekeeping deployments and opening of a multinational peacekeeping training school
- 2026-10-22 Launch of the National SME Development Strategy 2026-2030, PM remarks
- 2026-10-21 PM's position on conditions for border talks between markers 52 and 59
- 2026-10-16 Joint press conference with the President of Türkiye
Disaster · conflict · epidemic
Watch 2026-11-07
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Border dispute with Thailand unresolved; joint statement discussed at ASEAN (Oct)
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