The workshop aims to address the challenges faced by Least Developed Countries (LDCs) members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), specifically Cambodia, as they face graduation prospects and changing trade-policy landscapes. The ASEAN LDCs have enjoyed successful export-led growth supported by preferential market access and rules of origin based on their LDC status, but with the proliferation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), preference erosion is becoming a concern. Additionally, graduation from LDC status means the phasing out of trade preferences granted to these countries.

To address these issues, the workshop opens a policy dialogue among supporting institutions such as ADB and UNCTAD and the trade policy makers and regulators of Cambodia to identify the trade policy options and related Aid for trade assistance to address the challenges faced by Cambodia.  More specifically, the workshop aims to discuss with policymakers and the private sector the most suitable policy tools and strategies in both, traditional and new trade policy areas, including market access, rules of origin and SPS, trade in services, e-commerce, and digital service.  

The workshop will also serve to identify new aid for trade needs to orient research and capacity-building assistance required to support Cambodia in: 

1. implementing their commitment under RCEP and other FTAs and increase their utilization rates, 
2. efficiently negotiating new FTAs or updating commitments under existing ones,
3. identifying trade policy strategies to maintain and improve market access in main preference-giving countries after their graduation and seeking alternative markets.