UNCTAD will host a two and a half-day technical workshop on the Vulnerability Profile (VP) of Cambodia and a study on Implications of Erosion of GTF Sector on Women’s Employment.
The event is organized in coordination with the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, hosted by the Ministry of Planning in their capacity as Chair of Cambodia’s Graduation Committee, and with the support of the United Nations Regional Coordinator’s Office in Cambodia. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English and Khmer.
Background
The Kingdom of Cambodia was designated pre-eligible for graduation by the Committee for Development Policy at its 2021 Triennial Review of the LDC Category.
In line with the mandate conferred by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 59/209 of 20 December 2004, UNCTAD, thereafter, launched the preparatory process of Cambodia’s Vulnerability Profile.
UNCTAD undertook an inception mission to Cambodia from 10 to 12 August 2022. Following the inception mission, UNCTAD has drafted the VP of Cambodia, which focuses on Cambodia’s vulnerabilities across three dimensions of sustainable development: economy, social development and the environment.
It examines the economy’s degree of exposure to external shocks, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the development trajectory achieved by the country over time. On this basis, the VP assesses the prospects for maintaining development progress beyond graduation. Given the importance of preparing for graduation, the document identifies key areas that will require special attention, and opportunities that could be rapidly capitalized to assure developmental momentum.
Complementary to the VP, UNCTAD has undertaken a special analysis on the risk of the erosion of women’s economic empowerment and options for mitigating the consequences from graduation’s impact on the garments and footwear sector in Cambodia. The first draft of the study will be validated at the Workshop.
Objective
The objective of the Workshop is to validate the VP and, thereby, identify key elements towards a national roadmap for graduation with momentum centred on addressing and mitigating key identified vulnerabilities.
There is growing understanding and consensus on the need to build and strengthen the economic resilience of national economies and to further structural transformation as the basis for sustainable and impactful development progress.
With the view to facilitate the informed identification of feasible policies to build strategic resilience against internal and external vulnerabilities, the Workshop will provide a deeper understanding of the key areas of vulnerability and the related consequences identified in the VP.
