Khmer Enterprise Launches Second Cohort of EMDG to Provide Further Benefits to SMEs

Khmer Enterprise, a unit under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, has recently launched the second cohort of its Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) programme to provide further benefit to the small and medium sized enterprises.

The programme started from the Cohort 1 of EMDG which ran from March to July 2022. During Cohort 1, the programme received nearly 90 applications from different sectors with more than 50 applications from agriculture, 26 applications from manufacturing, and 8 applications from services sectors.

The programme is solely funded by Khmer Enterprise and co-designed and managed by Emerging Markets Consulting (EMC).

With the feedback from SMEs in Cohort 1, EMDG Cohort 2 is designed to provide further benefits to SMEs to develop their export markets with a more simplified and streamlined application process.

Expanding international market access for local SMEs is one of Khmer Enterprise’s strategic initiatives to align with Royal Government of Cambodia’s post-Covid economic recovery, H.E. Dr. Chhieng Vanmunin, CEO of Khmer Enterprise, said.

“With Cambodia’s recent opening from travel restrictions in recent months along with other countries across the globe, this programme is uniquely positioned for SMEs to be incentivised in developing new export markets,” said H.E. Dr. Chhieng Vanmunin.

The EMDG Cohort 2 reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible expenses relating to the export market development plan. With a forward-looking approach, SMEs can plan their future promotional activities and build their export markets with greater certainty and confidence.

The development of international markets and export promotion activities are crucial for SMEs to increase their exports yet many of these activities have been disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The EMDG programme is particularly built to support exporters and aspiring exporters to step forward and develop and grow their export markets globally.

The programme is open to all Cambodian firms to register no later than September 16, 2022.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press