Hun Manet to preside over CABS 2026 on Wednesday

Prime Minister Hun Manet (second right) to preside over the opening session of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2026 at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, in Phnom Penh, on Wednesday. CCC

#business

Synopsis: The Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2026 (March 3-4) will focus on economic integration, expanded trade and investment flows, improved regional connectivity and tourism promotion, among others.

Prime Minister Hun Manet will preside over the opening session of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2026 (CABS 2026) on Wednesday in Phnom Penh, underscoring the Royal Government of Cambodia’s commitment to private sector-led growth and deeper regional integration.

The two-day summit will take place starting March 3-4, at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, convenes senior government officials, business leaders and policymakers from across Southeast Asia under the theme “Transforming ASEAN: Innovation, Integration, and Industrial Evolution.” Organisers say the gathering reflects ASEAN’s strong push to promote innovation-driven growth while enhancing the bloc’s collective competitiveness in an increasingly digital and sustainability-focused global economy.

Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation. On the sidelines, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with senior officials of the Royal Government of Cambodia, as well as engagements with members of the business community.

According to a press release from the ASEAN Secretariat, these discussions aim to reaffirm ASEAN’s commitment to regional economic cooperation and to advance shared priorities with Cambodia and other Member States. Key areas of focus include closer economic integration, expanded trade and investment flows, improved regional connectivity and tourism promotion, ensuring that growth remains inclusive.

Welcoming remarks at the opening session will be delivered by Kith Meng, President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and Chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC). In a statement, the CCC said the Prime Minister’s participation highlights the government’s strong backing for deeper public-private collaboration and Cambodia’s active role in shaping ASEAN’s economic agenda.

The summit is being organised in collaboration with the International Chambers of Commerce and several business associations in Cambodia and across ASEAN Member States. Participants include high-ranking officials, ambassadors, representatives of key regional institutions, ASEAN-BAC members, leading international companies operating in Cambodia and the wider ASEAN market, and industry experts.

A major emphasis of CABS 2026 will be on regulatory harmonisation and trade facilitation. Delegates are expected to explore practical measures to align customs procedures, taxation systems, logistics networks and financial ecosystems, with the goal of enabling smoother cross-border trade and scaling up regional value chains. Such efforts are seen as critical to supporting ASEAN’s ambition to remain a competitive manufacturing and services hub amid global supply chain realignments.

The summit takes place as ASEAN continues to position itself as one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions, with a combined population of over 600 million and a rapidly expanding middle class. Cambodia, in particular, has sought to diversify its economy beyond traditional sectors such as garments and agriculture, investing in digital infrastructure, industrial upgrading and skills development to attract higher-value investment.

Analysts say CABS 2026 provides an important platform to bridge policy and business perspectives, ensuring that regional integration efforts translate into tangible benefits for enterprises, including small and medium-sized firms. As ASEAN advances its long-term community-building goals, the Phnom Penh summit is expected to reinforce the bloc’s message that innovation, connectivity and coordinated reforms will be central to sustaining growth in the years ahead.

-Khmer Times-
—————-