Cambodia, a nation once scarred by the Khmer Rouge’s brutality and the repercussions of the Vietnam War, is now emerging as a beacon of economic growth and opportunity. This is good news for the United States, our most important trading partner.
Despite our challenging past, marked by the loss of over 2 million lives and lingering war debts, Cambodia has demonstrated great resilience and ingenuity. Under the leadership of our new Prime Minister, Hun Manet, a proud West Point graduate, we are poised to enter a new era of prosperity. This year, Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow by 6.2 percent, up from 5.3 percent last year. Our latest project—the Funan Techo Canal, a $1.7 billion infrastructure investment due to begin construction next month—is set to redefine Cambodia’s economic and environmental landscape. As well as creating up to 50,000 jobs and attracting foreign direct investment, it will transform import and export trade in Asia, particularly benefiting our largest export partner, the United States. For U.S. businesses and investors, this presents a wealth of opportunities.
