Background
The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH formalised a bilateral project agreement to continue national efforts on private sector competitiveness. On 08 October 2026, the Council for the Development of Cambodia signed an Implementation Agreement for the Improved Competitiveness of National Enterprises Phase II (ICONE II) with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Phase II of ICONE II is funded at approximately €8 million and is scheduled for implementation over four years from 2026 to 2030.
ICONE II is structured to support investment promotion, productivity improvements, and export capacity building for medium and large enterprises as part of Cambodia’s private‑sector development strategy. The national steering committee is named as the oversight mechanism for the project, and project activities explicitly aim to foster partnerships between local and foreign investors, with a stated emphasis on strengthening links to European investors and expanding Cambodian firms’ access to international markets.
Key Developments
The implementation agreement was signed at the CDC on 08 October 2026 by His Excellency Senior Minister Chhieng Yanara for the Royal Government of Cambodia and by Mr. Hans‑Juergen Cassens as Programme Director for GIZ. The signing was witnessed by Her Excellency Silke Röfer, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Cambodia, members of the National Steering Committee, and the GIZ ICONE II team, with approximately 50 participants attending the launch event.
Institutional Role
The Council for the Development of Cambodia acts as the Cambodian host institution and coordinates national oversight through its steering committee structures, while GIZ serves as the implementing partner on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. Project governance combines national oversight via the CDC‑led steering committee with technical implementation and programme management provided by the GIZ ICONE II team.
Implications for Investors and Businesses
ICONE II directs resources toward measures intended to increase firm productivity, develop entrepreneurship capacity, and strengthen medium and large enterprises, which may affect investor engagement and business support services. The programme’s emphasis on export capacity and investor partnerships is designed to create additional channels for foreign and domestic firms to access European markets and to build managerial and operational capabilities within Cambodian enterprises.
Source
Official announcement and signing event reported by the Council for the Development of Cambodia; project partners include the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany through GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH).
