AKP Phnom Penh, November 25, 2025 --

H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, welcomed Ms. Yasmin Siddiqi, the newly appointed Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Cambodia, emphasising the importance of deepened cooperation and asking ADB to prioritise support for private sector development.

Minister Vanndy congratulated Ms. Siddiqi on her new role and affirmed that the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI) stands ready to work closely with her during her tenure. He highlighted ADB’s long-standing partnership with MISTI and recognised its steadfast support throughout Cambodia’s development journey, including during the COVID-19 period.

He briefed the delegation on Cambodia’s progress toward LDC graduation, stressing the need to strengthen the readiness of SMEs, industries, and government institutions amid rising global competition and rapid technological transformation. He also cited water-sector reforms and industrial transformation initiatives as key areas where ADB’s continued engagement remains vital.

Ms. Siddiqi expressed appreciation to MISTI and the Royal Government of Cambodia, noting the momentum she has observed during her first week of meetings with ministries. She emphasised ADB’s commitment to policy-based lending and shared that the ADB Board is set to approve the upcoming water-sector programme this week, reaffirming strong collaboration under the new Country Partnership Programme.

Minister Vanndy underscored that coordination remains key, calling for greater mobilisation of financing, technical assistance, and frontier funding opportunities to accelerate private sector development in the country.

AKP-MISTI