Phnom Penh’s informal economy onboarding campaign paves path for national expansion
Phnom Penh’s informal economy onboarding campaign paves path for national expansion
The Coordinating Committee on Informal Economy Development (CCIED), in collaboration with the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration, co-organisedan outreach campaign with 1,500 members of Phnom Penh’s informal economy on January 20.
The campaign was chaired by Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation and Chairman of the CCIED, and Khuong Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh.
“The Royal Government has prioritised informal economy development, focusing on improving their livelihood and well-being by strengthening their capacity, resilience, and market competitiveness,” said the Minister.
According to the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, informal economy Development is the government’s priority. It aims to promote participation in supply chains, create added value in national economic activities, and reduce poverty and social inequality.
Onboarding the platform allows the government to build an accurate, comprehensive database for targeted and timely interventions, especially during crises.
“Onboarding also paves the way for informal economy actors to access various supports that ministries-institutions are continuously developing, such as skills development, National Social Security Fund (NSSF) benefits, formal financial services, arrear reliefs and tax exemptions, and social protection services.”
Khuong Sreng recalled the message of Hun Manet, delivered at the official inauguration of the Digital Platform for Onboarding the Informal Economy on December 16, 2024: “The main objective in developing the Digital Platform for Onboarding the Informal Economy is to support and not to impose additional burdens on the informal economy. It’s based on the principle of voluntary, non-compulsory measures. This is a mechanism that the Royal Government has set up to establish a connection with the informal economy for the government’s consideration and effective, prompt interventions.”
Khuong Sreng also called on informal economy actors across Phnom Penh to use the platform to secure their futures, careers, employment, and family income.
The platform allows for multiple onboarding options, including through the CAM-IE mobile app, web portal, and nationwide branches of onboarding partners, currently Wing Bank, ACLEDA Bank, ABA Bank, SME Bank, and ARDB Bank. Onboarding targets microenterprises, workers and employees of microenterprises, seasonal workers, and self-employed individuals in the informal economy.
Hem Vanndy called on ministries, institutions, and capital-provincial administrations to continue organising outreach campaigns to raise awareness of the benefits to the village, commune, and Sangkat levels and to scale up onboarding across the country.
The National Strategy for Developing the Informal Economy 2023-2028 aims to develop the informal sector to transition into the formal sector and become an important driving force for sustainable, inclusive and resilient development.
