Cambodia hosts inaugural investor roundtable on sustainable finance

Cambodia hosts inaugural investor roundtable on sustainable finance

The Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF), and the Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia (CGCC), co-hosted this week the Inaugural Investor Roundtable on Sustainable Finance at Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh.

The meeting was held under the high presidency of Sou Socheat, Delegate of the Royal Government in charge as Director General of the SERC, Nathalie André, Country Representative of GGGI, and Ms Deanna Morris, Economic Affairs Officer of ESCAP, according to a SERC’s statement issued on Nov. 14.

Cambodia faces growing climate-related challenges despite contributing only a small share of global emissions. Without sufficient investment in adaptation and resilience, climate impacts could reduce the nation’s GDP by nearly 10 percent by 2050.

Recognising this, the government has set ambitious goals under its Pentagonal Strategy, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality, targeting a 41.7 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.

Achieving these goals requires significant financing, particularly from the private sector, yet many green projects struggle to access investors and bankable funding.

This gap in investment is precisely why the Inaugural Investor Roundtable on Sustainable Finance was organised to connect project developers with investors, showcase sustainable investment opportunities, and facilitate the flow of capital necessary to meet Cambodia’s climate and development targets.

The roundtable aimed to strengthen investor engagement in Cambodia’s green finance market by connecting investors with bankable green and social projects.

It gathered representatives from institutional investors, financial institutions, multilateral agencies, and project developers to discuss investment priorities, risk mitigation, and financing solutions.

SERC Director General Sou Socheat reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing sustainable finance. “As Cambodia’s securities market regulator, we share a common commitment with our investors to ensure projects are trustworthy, aligned with international standards, and prevented from greenwashing risks,” he said.

Guided by this responsibility, the SERC is dedicated to fostering a transparent, accountable, sustainable, and inclusive capital market where investors can confidently participate in green and sustainability-linked projects, he added.

“Advancing sustainable finance depends on strong partnerships among regulators, investors, and development partners, and through this roundtable, we aim to turn dialogue into action and reinforce Cambodia’s role as a regional leader in mobilising sustainable investment,” he said.

Deanna Morris, Economic Affairs Officer at ESCAP, stated the Roundtable was born out of the joint ESCAP-SERC report on “Building Bankable Green Project Pipelines in the Non-Infrastructure Sectors of Cambodia, which called for the establishment of a formal annual investor dialogue.

“The gathering is a first step toward what I believe can grow into an annual platform connecting hundreds of investors and project developers, where real deals are shaped, and capital flows increasingly toward climate-positive projects,” she said.

Nathalie André, Cambodia Country Representative of GGGI, said transparency and adherence to international best practice, which globally includes ‘green’ standards, are particularly pertinent in Cambodia in the current investment climate, especially for external investors.

“Moving forward, the Green Bond framework is in many ways applicable for other international financial resources, including Multilateral Development Banks’ investment in good practices that can pay off literally whilst contributing to the climate change agenda and well-being of Cambodia,” she said.

The event featured a Green Finance Pitch Session, where leading Cambodian companies presented investment-ready green projects.

The pitch session was followed by an Investor Panel Discussion, featuring representatives from local and international stakeholders who shared perspectives on financing priorities, risk mitigation, and blended finance solutions for emerging markets. 

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