Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 12 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, in his capacity as the rotating chair of ASEAN 2022, said that ASEAN is a region with high economic potentials and rapid development, mainly thanks to active participations of women.

The premier spoke at the 2nd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit under the theme “Building a more Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Future: Unlocking Women’s Entrepreneurship in ASEAN”, held on Wednesday (Oct 12) in hybrid format.

“The economies of ASEAN countries depend heavily on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), led by women. As a matter of fact, in Cambodia, MSMEs, accounting for 98% of the total number of enterprises, contribute around 58% to the national economy, and create around 73% of total jobs,” the premier underscored.

“Of which, women establish and manage, approximately 61% of the total number of MSMEs. With this fact, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has identified and promoted women as the backbone of national socio-economic development, by increasing investment in gender equality and promoting the role of women in the development across sectors, and at all levels,” the premier continued.

Within the ASEAN framework at the present and in the future, women will continue to play a significant role, especially in recovering and boosting sustainable, inclusive and resilient ASEAN economic growth. This requires solidarity and cooperation on creating an ecosystem that is conducive for the growth of women entrepreneurs, as well as collaboration to address challenges.

Samdech added, “in fact, women entrepreneurs in ASEAN have been facing many obstacles in enterprise development and management, especially in rural areas. In addition, most women start businesses at micro or small levels and in the informal sector, as the vast majority has yet to be formally registered, making it hard for governments to identify and provide necessary supports.”
=FRESH NEWS