JBIC lends to special economic zone in Cambodia

Cambodia's government has secured a ¥3.651mn (US$35,800) loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to support its Sihanoukville Port Special Economic Zone (SEZ) development project.

The project involves the development of a 70-hectare economic zone next to the Sihanoukville Port, the only international deep sea port in Cambodia. Loan proceeds will support the development of industrial land, roads, water supply, and sewerage treatment facilities, as well as consulting services.

After it acceded to WTO in October 2004, Cambodia has been actively developing the legal framework for investment promotion. Investment in the country has increased by approximately 19 times over the past five years. Despite this progress, the volume of investment remains relatively small being only one 10^th of that of Vietnam's.

This loan follows the signing of a Japan-Cambodia investment agreement in June 2007 which aimed to increase Japanese interest in investment opportunities in Cambodia.