Innovation to boost competitiveness

The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI), in collaboration with the Food Technology, Research and Innovation Platform (FTRIP), has just unveiled the guidelines for the Cambodia Enterprise Innovation Index (CEII), a strategic tool aimed at measuring and improving the innovation capacity of enterprises, strengthening their competitiveness, and promoting sustainable growth.

During the launch of this index on March 3, Minister Hem Vanndy emphasized the stakes: "Focusing on innovation means strengthening Cambodia's international prestige and improving our position in the Global Innovation Index. It also means creating an environment conducive to inclusive and sustainable economic growth."

Innovation is a key lever for modernizing Cambodian industry, optimizing resources, and stimulating job creation, as reported by the news site LePetitJournal. H.E. Igor Driesmans, Ambassador of the European Union to Cambodia, sees strong potential in the country: "With a young population, rapidly growing digital connectivity, and increasing access to new technologies, Cambodia has everything it needs to become an innovation-driven economy."

The CEII is part of the CAPFISH-Capture project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNIDO. Adopted in August 2024 by the National Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, it provides enterprises, including Confirel, with a clear framework to assess and strengthen their innovation capabilities.

For Mr. Sok Narin, UNIDO Representative in Cambodia, this index is a real opportunity: "A country with a good innovation index becomes a destination of choice for investors. By integrating new technologies, companies can gain productivity, profitability, and stimulate the growth of emerging sectors."

The PPM Confirel Group, which has had innovation at the heart of its development strategy since its foundation in the 1990s by DR Hay Ly Eang, as evidenced by the inauguration last month of its Center for Food Production and Innovation, hopes that the creation of this tool will become a real accelerator to make creativity and human resource development the true drivers of the country's entrepreneurial dynamism.