IMF reviews Cambodia’s monetary policies, vows support

IMF reviews Cambodia’s monetary policies, vows support

The IMF pledges technical support to strengthen the banking sector, maintain stability, and enhance institutional capacity for sustainable economic growth.

A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Thursday reviewed Cambodia’s monetary and financial policies, pledging continued technical support to strengthen the banking sector, maintain stability, and enhance institutional capacity for sustainable economic growth.

The assurance was given by the head of the delegation, Kenichiro Kashiwase, IMF Mission Chief for Cambodia, during a courtesy visit to Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) in Phnom Penh.

According to an NBC announcement, the meeting focused on engaging authorities and the private sector to better understand macroeconomic conditions, financial developments, prospects, and policy direction amid evolving global and domestic economic challenges in the country.

Addressing the meeting, the NBC Governor apprised the IMF delegation about Cambodia’s economic situation in 2025, highlighting the Royal Government’s ability to maintain exchange rate stability and keep inflation low despite global uncertainties and external pressures on the financial system.

She also outlined a series of measures introduced by the national bank to address key challenges facing the financial sector, including responses to issues such as border disputes, technology-based fraud and the liquidation of banking institutions in accordance with the laws in the Kingdom.

During the discussion, Kenichiro highlighted the IMF delegation’s objectives, particularly its role in supporting banking sector development, while also providing technical assistance, scholarships, and professional training to enhance the capacity of officials and staff.

After the meeting with the NBC Governor, the IMF delegation also held technical discussions with NBC senior officials, focusing on the current economic situation, progress in the banking system, and emerging challenges to assess policy effectiveness and better sector resilience.

Writing on her social media account, Serey highlighted the significance of the IMF mission to the Kingdom: “As a member of the IMF, Cambodia is obligated to comply with Article IV of the Agreement, requiring annual reviews of monetary and fiscal positions and financial policies.”

“This mission comes at a time when Cambodia is facing many challenges, and we hope that the mission’s assessments and recommendations will contribute to finding effective solutions to strengthen the financial sector and broader economic stability,” she added.

It may be noted that the IMF regularly conducts consultations with member countries under the Article IV process, evaluating economic performance, financial stability, and policy frameworks to support sustainable economic growth and enhance institutional capacity across the financial sector.

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