PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Manet (pic) has shared the success of the government’s 'Special Programme to Promote Investment in the Four Northeastern Provinces of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2025–2028'.
While addressing the inauguration of new roading improvements in Kratie province on Tuesday (Aug 25) morning, Manet said that, as of the first week of August 2026, the four northeastern provinces — Kratie, Stung Treng, Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri — had received a total of 72 investment project proposals, with approximately US$2.7 billion in investment capital.
“As of Aug 7, 57 projects had been reviewed,” he added.
Of the 72 proposals, Kratie received 19 projects with investment capital of $1.1 billion, and the potential to create 26,678 jobs. Of these, 14 projects had been reviewed.
Stung Treng received 20 proposals, with investment capital of $141 million, and the potential to generate nearly 4,000 jobs. Of them, 16 projects had been reviewed.
Ratanakiri welcomed 11 proposals, with investment capital of $881 million, which could create nearly 50,000 jobs. Ten of the projects had been reviewed.
Meanwhile, Mondulkiri received 22 proposals, with more than $511 million in investment capital and the possibility of creating 5,000 jobs. 13 projects had been reviewed.
The investment programme was launched by the prime minister in April last year.
It was developed based on three main concepts.
First, it aims to transform the four provinces into economies based on agriculture, agro-industry and tourism, taking into account the comparative advantages of each province and ensuring alignment with other national policies.
Second, it seeks to address practical challenges through low-hanging and intermediate measures that can deliver quick results, particularly measures to encourage and attract private investment.
Third, it aims to promote clustering effects to achieve economies of scale, rather than having scattered investments that cannot be effectively connected.
In line with these concepts, the government has identified three priority sectors.
The first is agriculture. This will include major agricultural crops, as well as flowers and tree saplings, along with commercial livestock.
The second is agro-industry, including the processing and/or packaging of key products such as rubber, cashew nuts, cassava, bananas, fruits and plantation timber.
The third is tourism, including unique identity tourism, the development of ecotourism areas and sacred tourism sites, the establishment of botanical or tourism gardens and zoos, biodiversity and genetic-resource conservation activities, and the development of resorts, which will offer a range of services.
To encourage private investment under the special programme, the government will provide support through three categories of measures: First, tax and customs measures; second, financing at reasonable interest rates; and third, measures to reduce production costs, streamline procedures and support private investment activities. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
