Khmer Enterprise and Swisscontact Collaborate with Pact to Strengthen Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Cambodia
- By Paid Content
- February 4, 2022 11:16 AM
Khmer Enterprise (KE), established by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, organized the partnership signing ceremony at KE’s hall to sign a partnership agreement in strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem with Swisscontact in collaboration with USAID's WE Act Project through Pact."
H.E. Dr. Chhieng Vanmunin, CEO of Khmer Enterprise said, “Khmer Enterprise hopes the implementation of the networking tools will create a platform that connects ecosystem stakeholders from public and private sectors including relevant government agencies, ecosystem builders, ESOs, SMEs, and startups to discuss on how to enhance the collaboration toward building Cambodia ecosystem as a whole.”
“Through our pilot “Give a Day” initiative supported by Credit Suisse and Khmer Enterprises, and successfully implemented with EuroCham, we observed the high demand for such initiatives to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and build trust among the stakeholders. At Swisscontact we strongly believe an ecosystem can be stronger and healthier when different types of individuals and organizations get involved to share experiences and learn from each other,'' said Mr. Rajiv Pradhan, Country Director of Swisscontact Cambodia.
After the success of piloting several tools in the Phnom Penh Ecosystem to promote collaboration between entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs), foster peer exchange and mentorship implemented by EuroCham in 2021. Khmer Enterprise and Swisscontact are pleased to have Pact’s WE Act Project joining the 2022 initiative together to enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem by deepening trust-based relationships among ESOs. This collaboration is jointly funded by Khmer Enterprise, Pact’s WE Act Project and Swisscontact.
“WE Act has been working hard for the past years on creating an enabling environment, and doing this together with Khmer Enterprise and Swisscontact will enable all of us to achieve better results. A true ecosystem is built on mutual trust, collaboration and sharing of information. We are committed to investing in this partnership, as a stronger ecosystem will result in better resources, services for entrepreneurs and will enable them to be heard in a responsive environment. We invite all ESOs to take part in this ongoing initiative,'' said Ms. Sabine Joukes, Country Director of Pact Cambodia.
For this year's initiative, “Give a Day” will be continued to build connections and trust between ESOs by facilitating monthly events where ESOs openly share and jointly work together to overcome existing challenges. There are two new components added. 1) development partners and ecosystem builders to improve entrepreneurial ecosystem gaps and market opportunities through quarterly meetings to share progress programs and exchange information and challenges, and 2) an entrepreneurial ecosystem annual conference to build a network with like-minded stakeholders and show the best practices to promoting and entrepreneurship culture and foster peer-to-peer learning and sharing between stakeholders.
This unique partnership between Khmer Enterprise, Swisscontact and Pact via WE Act will support entrepreneurship, building trust, increasing knowledge, solving problems and connecting entrepreneurs together where endless opportunities await.
About KE
Khmer Enterprise, established by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), aims to mobilize, invest and manage resources to support the development of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cambodia, thereby promoting entrepreneurial activities driving innovation and value-added creation in Cambodia’s economy. Khmer Enterprise has the vision to become the national platform for promoting entrepreneurial activities in the four priorities sectors: ICT focuses on tech start-ups, service focuses on hospitality and logistics, agriculture focuses on agro-processing for domestic consumption and agriculture for export, and lastly, manufacturing focuses on import substitution.
About Pact
Pact - Pact is a nonprofit international development organization founded in 1971 in Washington DC, USA. Pact works in 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant. Pact established a country office in Cambodia in October 1991 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to implement development activities.
About Swisscontact
Swisscontact - the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation is an independent, non-profit foundation based in Zürich, founded in 1959 by leading figures from the Swiss private sector and Swiss universities. It is exclusively involved in international development, active in more than 38 countries with 120 programmes with more than 1,000 staff members. At the heart of all Swisscontact’s work stands the private sector and its crucial role in achieving more inclusive economic growth. Swisscontact approaches this through 8 working areas: Initial Vocational Education and Training, Labour Market Insertion, Upskilling and Reskilling, Sustainable Agriculture, Trade, Green Cities, Tourism and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Swisscontact has been present throughout South-East Asia for more than 30 years. Swisscontact has been operating in Cambodia since 2013, establishing its office in the country in April 2016.
