Cambodia submits new trade proposal to international support initiative

Cambodia was the third LDC country, following the lead of Sierra Leone and Yemen, to submit a proposal to the multi-donor, multi-agency initiative, called the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), on July 6.

The proposal will enable the Cambodian government to better formulate, implement, manage, and monitor a pro-poor trade policy that is consistent with and supportive of the country’s National Development Plan and its Millennium Development Goals.

Senior Minister Cham Prasidh, who is also Cambodia’s Minister of Commerce, formally handed the proposal to Ms. Dorothy Tembo, the Executive Director of the EIF Secretariat, in Geneva during the meeting of the Second Global Review of the Aid for Trade initiative.

The EIF follows on from an earlier initiative, called the Integrated Framework (IF). With the support of UNDP and other development partners, Cambodia has been actively involved in the IF since 2001, including creating its own Trade Development Strategy in 2007. The EIF’s focus on strengthening the capacity of the individual institutions selected to manage and implement this strategy feeds into the Trade Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), which is the comprehensive implementation framework for the Trade Development Strategy.

“The objective of the proposed project is to enhance the capacity of key departments of the Ministry of Commerce and other line ministries to effectively coordinate the implementation of the Cambodian Trade Development Strategy,” said Gonzalo Garcia, UNDP’s Programme Analyst for Trade, who attended the formal proposal presentation in Geneva.

The government’s participation in the EIF initiative contributes to the ongoing efforts of UNDP to strengthen the Department of International Cooperation to act as the body responsible for the day-to-day management of the Trade SWAp, EIF and the overall Aid for Trade, as well as a Secretariat to the Sub-Steering Committee on Trade Development and Trade-Related Investments. It will build line ministries’ capacities to actively participate in the sector-wide approach, coordinate inter-ministerial technical assistance and provide feedback to the Department of International Cooperation, with a particular emphasis on Trade related issues. Finally, it aims to increase knowledge and awareness in the country and abroad about Cambodia’s Trade Related Technical Assistance experience and successes, encouraging the exchange of experience and best practices.

UNDP will continue to assist the government in providing and monitoring trade-related technical assistance. At the same time, it will continue to serve as a Donor Facilitator, the main link between government and relevant development partners, to support the government’s ownership of the initiative, guiding donor coordination, assessing the risks and opportunities arising during the roll-out of the national strategy.