Centre for Development Economics and Trade
The centre conducts applied and policy researches focusing on Cambodia’s economy, trade and regional cooperation. We monitor Cambodia’s economic management and performance; provide evidence-based economic policy analysis; and engage in local and regional dialogues to inform policymaking. Our research has a strong link to national policies, particularly the Rectangular Strategy (Phase IV) and the National Strategic Development Plan (2019-23). Specifically, we contribute to two pillars of the NSDP: Economic Diversification, Private Sector and Market Development; and Sustainable and Inclusive Development. Our delivery mechanism includes policy and academic research, capacity building, knowledge dissemination and sharing, and policy influence and outreach. Our research agenda falls within five broad development areas: economic development, focusing on sustainability and inclusion; trade and regional cooperation; private sector development, focusing on small and medium enterprises; employment and employability, with a cross-cutting theme on gender and youth; and data for research and development (D4RD). We have extensive experience on regional cooperation and research projects, working with think tanks and research institutes in ASEAN and the Mekong region. The Greater Mekong Subregion Research Network (GMS-Net) is an example of such collaboration.
Best Practices and Opportunities for Enhancing Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Cambodia
AEM-METI Economic and Industrial Cooperation CommitteeThe innovation and entrepreneurial activities have multiplied recently, with many new companies emerging in various industries. However, start-ups face many challenges, such as access to talent, idea, markets, and funding. Creat...
Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Policy Scoping Study – Cambodia
United Nations Institute for Training and ResearchPAGE is a joint initiative of the ILO, UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO and UNITAR. It was launched in 2013 to support countries in building economies that are environmentally sustainable. The initiative leads and assists partnering countries i...
Study on Tourism MSME and ‘New Normal’ Economic Revival: The Role of Digital Technologies
The Asia FoundationDigital technologies have evolved at breakneck speed and spread, changing not only the digital ecosystem but also the way economy, trade and business are functioning. Massive digital transformation and its associated broad benefit...
Strengthening Cambodia’s Post-Pandemic Recovery and Competitiveness Pathways
Swedish International Development Cooperation AgencyOver the last 20 years, the Kingdom of Cambodia has made remarkable progress in creating an enabling environment for business and investment, making the country favourable for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region and crea...
Strengthening E-commerce Cooperation to Promote Business to Business and Business to Consumers under AHKFTA: A Case Stud...
Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC), Lao PDRFollowing the establishment of the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA), the Chapter on Economic and Technical Co-operation (ECOTECH) work program has been implemented. It is created as a reference document for imp...
On the Salience of Memories and Socio-Economic and Political Preference
Ludwig-Maximilians University of MunichA collaboration with a team of researchers from the University of Ludwig-Maximilians (LMU), Munich to conduct an experimental survey to investigate the impact of persistent memories of violence and the impact of salient memories....
The Impact of COVID-19 on Inclusive Development and Governance: Rapid and Post-Pandemic Assessment in the CLMV
Canada's International Development Research CentreIn close coordination with local governments and organizations, the project will identify gender-sensitive policies and good practices from the macro to micro level that will support the recovery process and improve resilience...
A Survey on Impacts of COVID-19 Crisis on Cambodian Households
JICA Research InstituteThe recent coronavirus pandemic has triggered economic crises in both developing and developed countries. In the case of Cambodia, the number of infections is low relative to other neighbouring ASEAN countries, such as Thailand, P...
Digital Skills Assessment Survey
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications | United Nations Development Programme, Cambodia | The Russian FederationUnder the Capacity Building Research and Development Fund of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, United Nation Development Programme, Cambodia and the Russian Federation, the Cambodia Development Resource Institute in co...
Improving the Business Environment in Cambodia
In 2020, Cambodia experienced a negative growth rate for the first time in two decades. As a country susceptible to small changes in the global economy, it grew increasingly obvious that Cambodian businesses need a more solid foundation to grow and diversify. Most businesses in Cambodia are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) but they significantly contribute to the country’s employment, domestic...
The Effects of COVID-19 on the Export Industry and Comparative Advantage of Cambodia
The repercussions of COVID-19 resulted in global disruptions to supply and demand as well as shocks to the global production networks. This paper employs a trade analysis approach to assess the impacts of coronavirus on Cambodia’s export performance. Utilising Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) index, changes were analysed using data pre-and post-pandemic to explore the Kingdom’s competitiveness...
The Effects of Birth Order on Education and Occupations: Evidence from Cambodia
Research from developed nations has shown that later-born children tend to have worse outcomes in terms of health, nutrition, and education. However, evidence from developing countries remains mixed. In our research, using data on 423,848 individuals in Cambodia, we investigate how birth order affects not only education but also occupational choices in this country. Our estimates show th...
Gender Analysis of the Reopening After COVID-19 Lockdowns: Evidence from Cambodia
We quantify the effects of reopening economic activities after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on the lives and livelihoods of the workers in the garment, footwear, and travel goods sector in Cambodia. We employ fixed-effects difference-in-differences and quantile regression analyses using a panel survey of 2,000 workers interviewed by phone in June 2021 and June 2022. The impacts are disaggreg...
Responses to Facilitate Post-Covid-19 Economic Recovery: A Regional Perspective
The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated many developing countries, particularly those in East and Southeast Asia due to their heavy reliance on global economic connections and low public health capacity. Although many have managed a respectful rebound since early 2021, uncertainties in world economic recovery have left many economies in unstable positions. Our study on developing Southeast Asia has s...
Macroeconomic and Sectoral Effects: Long-term Constraint and Transition to the New Normal
Cambodia’s economy has made significant progress over the decades. However, the smooth and robust developments were significantly disturbed in 2020 with the arrival of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Globally, both internal and external demands, FDI flows, the movement of goods, and travel were all severely impacted by governments increasingly imposing lockdowns and other restrictions to contain the...
The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cambodia's Trade, Global Value Chains and Export Competitiveness
Despite growing research on COVID-19 and its impacts on Cambodia, the extent to which COVID-19 affects Cambodia’s trade, global value chains (GVCs) and export competitiveness has not yet been well established. This study, therefore, aims to fill knowledge gaps and examine the dynamic of Cambodia’s exports, GVCs and competitiveness during the pandemic. Specifically, it analyses Cambodia’s exp...
Firm Performance in Cambodia: Key Drivers and Strategies from Survey Data
In early 2020, Covid-19 caused a global health crisis which drastically limited human interactions and economic activities both within and across borders, disrupted global supply chains, and resulted in economic slowdowns in countries around the world. Cambodia is no exception in this pandemic era. Cambodia registered a negative economic growth rate of -3.1% in 2020 as its service and industr...
Agricultural Trade between China and the Greater Mekong Subregion Countries: A Value Chain Analysis
The book is published at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and can be found on this website.
The Factors Improving Skill Development and Skill Formation Systems in Industries: Firm-level Analysis of Cambodia's Manufacturing Industry
To understand the factors for improving skill development in the manufacturing industry, the study utilized mixed-method research combining surveys and in-depth interviews to collect data from 101 firms. 36 in-depth interviews with the firms' human resources and production departments were carried out. A binary logistic regression model was used to explore the relationships between in-employment s...
The Launch of Report “Demand for and Supply of Digital Skills in Cambodia”
On the morning of 14th December 2021, Our researchers from the Centre of Economic Development and Trade and Centre for Educational Research and Innovation have delivered a presentation in the official launch of the report on “Demand for and Supply of Digital Skills in Cambodia”. Under cooperation with Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) and financially supported by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication, the Russian Federations and...
Blog – Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Women
Author: Dr. Kyoko Kusakabe, Professor of Gender and Development Studies at Department of Development and Sustainability, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and Adviser to the IDRC Project on the Impact of Covid-19 on Inclusive Development and Democratic GovernanceOn the occasion of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, it is important to highlight how the pandemic has exac...
Participation in Ponlok Chomnes National Policy Forum, Cambodia’s COVID-19 Recovery Pathway
On the 23rd and 24th of November, our project members participated in the National Policy Forum, organized and supported by The Asia Foundation and Australian Aid under Ponlok Chomnes Program. The forum brought think tanks, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss emerging issues and solutions under the theme “Cambodia’s COVID-19 Recovery Pathway”. It also aims to promote the culture of knowledge sharing and evidence-based policymaking in Cambo...
Blog – Living and Recovering with Delta: Time to Open Borders in Southeast Asia
Author: Dr Jayant Menon, a Visiting Senior Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, and Adviser to the IDRC Project on the Impact of Covid-19 on Inclusive Development and Democratic Governance The Delta variant of COVID-19 has become dominant in Southeast Asia, calling into question the efficacy of trying to eliminate the virus, and the current combination of mobility restrictions at and within borders. The variant’s high transm...
Blog – Will the Pandemic’s Push Towards a Digital Economy Mean Greater Inequality in Mekong?
Author: Dr Jayant Menon, a Visiting Senior Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, and Adviser to the IDRC Project on the Impact of Covid-19 on Inclusive Development and Democratic Governance One of the supposed silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the acceleration towards a digital economy. Lockdowns and social distancing measures have hastened the adoption of technologies of the Fourth Industrial Re...
Meeting with HE. Chheang Vanarith, Director General of Policy, MEF
Tuesday, 13 October 2020, from 15.00, CDRI Executive Director (Pech Sokhem), Director of Development Economics and Trade (Roth Vathana), and Senior External Relation Officer (Sen Sina) met with HE. Chheang Vanarith, Director General of Policy, MEF, and his senior officials and researchers. Both sides explore a collaborative policy and applied research on food and water nexus, tourism value chain analysis, and social study. The collaborations are...
07 Jun
Launching New Publications
CDRI Working Paper Series on COVID-19
08:30 AM - 01:30 PM
Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh
To celebrate the official release of Working Paper Series on COVID-19, CDRI, in partnership with Ministry of Economy and Finance and Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), is pleased to launch these new publications series on 7th June at Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh from 08:30 am to noon.This workshop will be joined by more than 100 participants from government ministries, institution, international and local organisations, academia, civil...
05 Dec
Regional Forum
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mekong Subregion: An Emphasis on Social Protection and Economic Inclusion
08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh / Zoom
On Monday 5th December 2022, CDRI with financial support from International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada and in partnership with the Centre for Economic and Social Development (CESD) and the Centre for Analysis and Forecasting (CAF), is organizing a regional forum on “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mekong Subregion: An Emphasis on Social Protection and Economic Inclusion”. This regional forum is part of the research project and...
12 Nov
Podcast Series - Episode 5
Women-led SMEs and post-COVID-19 situation
As part of a regional project on “Impacts of COVID-19 on Inclusive Development and Governance: Rapid and Post-Pandemic Assessment in the CLMV", the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) is pleased to present CDRI Podcast Series Episode 5 on “Women-led SMEs and post-COVID-19 situation”. Our host, Ms. Muth Sumontheany, Research Assistant of CDRI conversed with H.E. Okhna Moha Oubaseka Keo Mom, the President of Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs...
29 Sep
Global Event
Stakeholder Meeting of the Multi-Country r4d Research Project «Skills for Industry»
Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Centre (CKCC)
On Thursday 29th of September, Cambodia development resource institute and Zurich university of teacher education co-organized a Stakeholder Meeting of the Multi-Country r4d Research Project «Skills for Industry» at Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Centre. The research project is financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss National Science Foundation under the Swiss Programme for Research on Global Issues for...
03 Jun
Podcast Series - Episode 4
Australian Support And View on Cambodia’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Effort And Development
As part of a regional project on “Impacts of COVID-19 on Inclusive Development and Governance: Rapid and Post-Pandemic Assessment in the CLMV”, the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) is pleased to present CDRI Podcast Series Episode 4 on “Australian support and view on Cambodia’s COVID-19 economic recovery effort and development”. Our host, Dr. Eng Netra, Executive Director of CDRI moderated the discussion with Ambassador Pablo K...
24 Dec
Podcast Series – Episode 3
COVID-19 and workers in the informal economy: perspectives and prospects from a non-governmental organisation
As part of a regional project on “Impacts of COVID-19 on Inclusive Development and Governance: Rapid and Post-Pandemic Assessment in the CLMV”, the Cambodia Development Resource Institute is pleased to present episode #3 of our Podcast Series on “COVID-19 and workers in the informal economy: perspectives and prospects from a non-governmental organisation”.Our host, Mr Roth Vathana sat with Mr Vorn Pao, President of the Independent Democracy of In...
20 Sep
Internal Sharing Session
Preliminary Baseline Results on Impacts of COVID-19 in the Mekong Subregion
09:00 AM - 12:35 PM
Virtual (Zoom)
On September 20, 2021, researchers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam met to present preliminary baseline survey results on the impact of COVID-19 on socio-economic wellbeing of women, vulnerable groups and micro, small and medium enterprises. The meeting is a part of the COVID-19 research project funded by the International Development Research Centre, Canada. The team received constructive comments from senior program officer of IDRC and...
14 Sep
Podcast Series – Episode 2
Social protection for women and vulnerable groups: challenges and opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
As part of the project on “Impacts of COVID-19 on Inclusive Development and Governance: Rapid and Post-Pandemic Assessment in the CLMV”, Centre for Development Economics and Trade is pleased to present episode #2 of our Podcast Series on “Social protection for women and vulnerable groups: challenges and opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond”. Our host, Ms Pon Dorina sat with Her Excellency Nhean Sochetra, Director General of the...
11 Aug
Virtual Consultation Workshop
Assessing demand for and supply of ICT and digital skills
As a part of "Digital Skills Assessment Survey" project, CDRI has collaborated with Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) to prepare a virtual consultation workshop joined by relevant stakeholders coming from both government and non-governmental institutions. This workshop aims to provide a platform for exchange of valuable inputs and insights on the draft report written based on data collected from school and firm survey.
20 Apr
Podcast Series – Episode 1
Looking Back 2020 and Looking Forward 2021: Private Sector Perspectives
As a part of the project on “Impacts of COVID-19 on Inclusive Development and Governance: Rapid and Post-Pandemic Assessment in the CLMV”, we are pleased to launch the first episode of our podcast series under the theme “Looking Back 2020 And Looking Forward 2021: Private Sector Perspectives”. Our host, Ms. Sry Bopharath sat with Oknha Sok Piseth, CEO & Co-Founder, GGEAR Group Co. Ltd, to discuss socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemi...