Bhutanese Delegation to Study Cambodia ’s Trade Development Strategy

Friday, November 20, 2009

WHAT:  A workshop for a visiting Bhutanese delegation to learn from Cambodia ’s experience in formulating a Trade Development Strategy (DTIS) and about Cambodia ’s Trade SWAp (Sector Wide Approach), which provides the framework to implement Cambodia ’s Trade Integration Strategy (DTIS), formulated in 2007.

WHO:   Officials from the Bhutanese Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Gross National Happiness Commission, and the private sector; RGC officials from the Ministry of Commerce, H.E. Pan Sorasak, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, UNDP officials, and representatives from GTZ, DANIDA, and the Cambodian private sector.

 WHEN:  9:00am- 4:30pm, Thursday 19 November.

  WHERE: Orchid Room No. 4, Level 1, Cambodiana Hotel, Phnom Penh , Cambodia                           

Dear Journalists,

 You are invited to attend the above workshop. All sessions are open to journalists, however for those with tight deadlines it is recommended to attend the morning sessions on Thursday November 19.

Government officials from the Ministry of Commerce, with support from UNDP, will host the workshop for the Bhutanese delegation to share information on Cambodia ’s experience in trade mainstreaming, and how Integrated Framework (IF) and EIF funds and technical support have been instrumental in pushing for the country’s domestic reforms. 

Bhutan, a least developed country (LDC), is a candidate for accession to the World Trade Organization. Recently, Bhutan has applied to the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) fund, a multi-donor initiative aimed at supporting LDCs in mainstreaming trade development into their country’s national development plans to support poverty reduction. Bhutan is now preparing to develop their DTIS.

The Government of Bhutan has turned to Cambodia to learn more about its successful EIF implementation, subsequent reforms, government commitment and ownership of Trade SWAp.  In Cambodia , the Government is taking the lead in establishing and formulating the Trade SWAp, or Sector-Wide approach, as a framework to implement Cambodia ’s trade strategy in partnership with Development Partners and the private sector.

Cambodia has been at the forefront among other LDCs to secure funds from the IF programme.  They were one of the first LDCs to produce (in 2002) and update (in 2007) its Trade Development Strategy DTIS and to successfully gain access to EIF Tier 1 funding, which serves to address capacity and organizational needs to support mainstream trade development into their national development agenda.