AKP Phnom Penh, January 02, 2025 -- The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and the UK Government have sought inputs from private sector on development of a flagship project on the development of the Green Special Economic Zone (Green SEZ) Project in Cambodia. 

The Green SEZ will be developed under a Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) model, led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), with technical advisory support from the UK Growth Gateway Programme, according to an announcement issued recently. 

The Green SEZ project is a flagship G2G initiative under the broader Cambodia-UK Strategic Partnership on Infrastructure Development which aims to accelerate sustainable infrastructure investments with catalytic impact on Cambodia's socio-economic development, industrial diversification and climate transition, read the statement. 

The market consultation for the Green SEZ will be conducted by the MEF, CDC, and British Embassy in Phnom Penh.

The RGC will seeks input from private sector participants on several key areas, including the project's overall commercial attractiveness; business models and partnership structures; expected infrastructure and utility requirements; proposed sustainability and green technology features; potential risks and mitigation considerations; and any incentives or regulatory support that would enable successful participation.

“The Green SEZ project is currently in the Feasibility Study stage, where insights from potential developers play a critical role in shaping project's overall design and to ensure an appropriate and most optimal procurement approach,” read the statement. 

These inputs will help ensure that the Green SEZ is designed in line with market expectations and global standards, while maintaining flexibility and feasibility during implementation.

“By engaging early in the process, the private sector participants have the opportunity to contribute to refining the key aspects of this flagship project with early visibility into the project's direction and investment opportunities,” it added. 

Centrally located in Kandal province, bordering the capital of Phnom Penh with access to skilled workforce and multimodal transport and logistics facilities, it is envisioned to be a strategic green export hub and gateway to the Greater Mekong region and Asia Pacific, enabling long-term participation into global value chains in the automotive, electronics and high-value garment sectors. 

Currently, there are 58 SEZs in Cambodia, but only 32 of them are operational, a CDC’s report showed. 

By Chea Vannak