Economy: Trade and Investment Forum and UK-Cambodia trade mission to strengthen trade relations

The UK-ASEAN trade mission, part of the UK-ASEAN collaboration on women's economic empowerment, funded by the UK government, put ASEAN women entrepreneurs in touch with British buyers on 18 and 19 November in Phnom Penh.

Organised in partnership with the International Trade Center (ITC) and the Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs Network (CamWEN), this initiative was followed by another series of business-to-business engagements for women entrepreneurs in Jakarta, Indonesia, later in the week.

The mission follows the second annual UK-Cambodia Joint Trade and Investment Forum, held a week earlier, which brought together the UK and Cambodian public and private sectors to discuss how to achieve sustainable growth, through trade and investment, in the face of complex global challenges.

In Cambodia, the trade mission is expected to facilitate trade between British and Indonesian women-owned businesses in sectors such as textiles and clothing, handicrafts and footwear. Eight British companies and 75 Cambodian companies run by women are taking part. The mission aims to strengthen trade relations and empower businesswomen from the UK and the ASEAN region as part of the UK government-funded SheTrades programme in the ASEAN region.

The British Ambassador to Cambodia, Dominic Williams MBE, said: ‘It's fantastic to speak out for gender equality, and I encourage everyone to do so. It's even better to go further and offer practical support to women who are doing extraordinary things in all areas of life. So I'm delighted that the British Embassy is doing just that - giving some amazing women-led SMEs a platform to showcase their products to trade buyers, who have travelled specially from the UK to find Cambodian products to sell in their home country. I hope this trade mission will help women-owned businesses to increase their income and grow, and enable more British consumers to buy great Cambodian products.

The UK's Ambassador to ASEAN, Sarah Tiffin, said: ‘Empowering women entrepreneurs is key to driving inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. The UK-ASEAN Trade Mission provides a platform for women-led businesses to connect, collaborate and thrive in new markets. We are committed to supporting these dynamic entrepreneurs who contribute to the prosperity and resilience of the UK and regional economies. This mission not only strengthens our commercial ties, but also underlines our shared commitment to gender equality and economic empowerment.’

An ‘Export Procedure Manual’ was launched at the event to help women-led businesses in Cambodia gain market intelligence to market clothing, footwear, handicrafts and accessories in UK markets, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).

Earlier this month, the SheTrades in ASEAN programme also held a workshop with the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN) in Phnom Penh to strengthen the voices of women entrepreneurs in the region and develop a strategic vision for supporting women entrepreneurs in the region through trade over the next 10 to 20 years.