Phnom Penh (FN), Mar. 11 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his satisfaction with the growing productivity of the kingdom’s production chain, addressing over 4,500 Vanda Institute graduates on Tuesday morning (Mar. 11).

Samdech Thipadei underlined that this progress is driven by the development of human resources, stating that without skilled human capital, industrial growth would not be possible.

Samdech Thipadei was also impressed by the use of robotics at Marvel, a garment factory he personally visited on 10 March. The factory, which supplies Nike, an American athletic footwear and apparel corporation, with 20 million shirts per year, has integrated advanced automation into its production process.

Samdech Thipadei underscored, “The production chain is indeed reliant on human labour, but it must be complemented by automation, even in tasks like sewing pants. This helps boost productivity, increase wages, and ensure competitiveness. In the 1990s, Cambodia was mostly an importer, but today, we produce more, export more, and attract greater investment. The government’s policy aims to transform Cambodia from an agriculture-based economy that exports raw materials into one that exports finished products, including agro-industrial and manufacturing goods.”

Samdech Thipadei added that factories in Cambodia are now capable of producing spare parts for well-known Italian brands, car manufacturers, and motorcycle assembly plants. Notably, electric vehicle giant BYD is currently constructing a car assembly plant in Sihanoukville, expected to be completed by late 2025 or early 2026.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Hun Manet noted that a Ford assembly plant operates in Krakor District, Pursat Province. He recalled how Cambodia once had to import even basic products like bottled water and orange juice, but today, domestic production capabilities have significantly improved. This shift reflects Cambodia’s evolution from a low-productivity, low-skilled, and low-wage economy to one that is steadily advancing.

The premier continued that Cambodia’s ongoing development depends entirely on human resources, underscoring the crucial role of private higher education institutions in training and equipping young people with the skills necessary to sustain national progress.
=FRESH NEWS