On April 2, 2025, H.E. HEM Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, met with a delegation from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) led by Country Representative Ms. Shomi Kim to discuss advancing green industry initiatives in Cambodia.

Minister Vanndy commended GGGI for its contributions in promoting energy efficiency in the garment, footwear, and travel goods sectors. He emphasized the crucial balance between greening Cambodia’s industries and enhancing their competitiveness.

The Minister also highlighted the need to showcase success stories of green growth beyond energy efficiency, particularly in areas such as water consumption and waste management. He called on GGGI to support the development of a guideline on setting up Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs) to serve as models for sustainable industrial development.

Ms. Shomi Kim reaffirmed GGGI’s commitment to supporting Cambodia’s green growth, particularly through two key portfolios: green industry and climate technopreneurship. She detailed GGGI’s collaboration with multiple government ministries and its efforts in mobilizing green financing through the Green Climate Fund (GCF). 

The GCF has mobilized over $220 million to finance local companies in five ASEAN countries, including Cambodia, to implement green solutions in their production line. She also highlighted ongoing work in linking local SMEs with global firms on carbon trading.

Minister Vanndy called on GGGI and the GCF to advocate for equitable and fair green practices internationally, especially for smaller economies with limited compliance capacbilty. He further encouraged the expansion of GCF's financing schemes to help local SMEs implement green initiatives. 

GGGI has been supporting local companies to issue green bonds and a local bank to be accredited by the GCF for providing green financing, Ms. Kim added.