The master plan recommends strategic actions for driving Cambodia’s growth strategy, enabling it to achieve upper middle-income country status by 2030.

PHNOM PENH/TOKYO - Media OutReach - 14 December 2018 - TheAsian Productivity Organization(APO) announced the release of the Cambodia National Productivity Master Plan2020-2030. The document and recommendations were handed to Cambodia's SeniorMinister of Industry and Handicraft Kitti Setha Pandita Cham Prasidh by APOSecretary-General Dr. Santhi Kanoktanaporn in Phnom Penh, 13 December 2018.

APO Secretary-General Dr. Santhi Kanoktanaporn handing over the National Productivity Master Plan 2020-2030 to Cambodia's Senior Minister of Industry and Handicraft Kitti Setha Pandita Cham Prasidh.

Cambodia has enjoyed strong economic growth averaging 7% per annum overthe last 25 years, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.That allowed the country to graduate from a low-income to a lower middle-incomeeconomy, as defined by the World Bank, in 2016. However, for Cambodia tosustain economic growth, raise per capita income, reduce poverty, and achievethe upper middle-income country goal, it must shift toward an economy driven byproductivity.

The APO initiative to assist the Royal Government of Cambodia indeveloping the National Productivity Master Plan is aimed at achieving averageannual productivity growth of 5.2% during 2020-2030. Besides the quantitativetarget, the document includes five qualitative goals as part of the CambodiaProductivity 2030 Vision and defines strategic areas to achieve the five goalsand 2030 objectives.

"We hope that the proposed CambodiaNational Productivity Master Plan 2020-2030 will serve as a comprehensive planfor the country to embark on a productivity-driven growth strategy. The time frameof 2020-2030 was adopted to align the master plan with the government's aim ofmaking Cambodia an upper middle-income country by 2030," the APOSecretary-General said while handing over the document to the minister.

Inaccepting the document, Senior Minister Prasidh thanked theAPO for leading the initiative for the development of the Cambodia NationalProductivity Master Plan 2020-2030. "This is the most significant policydocument that Cambodia has ever received from its development partner," he said,adding that it was a very big contribution of the APO toward the development ofthe country. The minister said that the government would aim for adoption andimplementation of the plan in mid-2019.

The master plan for Cambodia is intended to boost the country's productivityby improving the policy framework, ensuring optimal mechanisms for the nationalproductivity movement, and aligning efforts with long-term development goals. Theconsultancy project was executed under the Specific National Program (SNP) ofthe APO and conducted in collaboration with the National Productivity Centre ofCambodia over a three-month period.

The SNP is designedto drive the national productivity movements of member countries by helpingthem improve regulatory and policy frameworks in areas related to productivityenhancement. Under the program, the APO provides customized technical andconsultancy services to national productivity organizations or their partners forimplementing projects that can address the specific needs and expectations ofmember countries to enhance productivity and competitiveness. It also supportsmember countries in advancing national productivity agendas and implementingkey interventions to achieve productivity goals aligned with the APO Vision2020 objectives.