CAC News

Phnom Penh, July 9, 2026 — The Skills Development Fund (SDF) has signed strategic partnership agreements with four major business associations and an industry federation, including the Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia (CAC), to strengthen public-private collaboration in developing a skilled workforce that meets the evolving needs of Cambodia's industries.

The agreements were signed with the Cambodia Logistics Association (CLA), Cambodia Automotive Industry Federation (CAIF), Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia (CAC), and Cambodia Electronics and Technology Association (CETA).

The signing ceremony was presided over by H.E. Dr. Phan Phalla, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Chairman of the SDF Board of Directors, and H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training and Vice-Chairman of the SDF Board. More than 120 participants attended the event, including representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the French Development Agency (AFD), government institutions and the private sector.

SDF Chief Executive Officer H.E. Ky Sokkim said the partnerships will focus on three strategic pillars: identifying sector-specific skills demands to improve productivity, implementing SDF's co-design, co-invest and co-own training model, and strengthening public-private partnerships to promote investment, technology transfer and skilled employment opportunities.

He added that SDF will work closely with industry associations to develop sector-specific skills frameworks and training programs that respond directly to labor market demands.

Speaking at the ceremony, H.E. Dr. Phan Phalla expressed confidence that the partnerships would provide a strong foundation for developing a highly skilled workforce, enhancing the competitiveness of Cambodia's private sector while supporting the Royal Government's Pentagonal Strategy.

Since its establishment, SDF has supported skills training for approximately 93,000 trainees, achieving a 96 percent graduation rate, an 88 percent employment rate, an 85 percent employer satisfaction rate and an 89 percent increase in labor productivity among participating enterprises.

On the sidelines of the event, CAC President Silot Uon held separate meetings with representatives of two international companies with manufacturing operations in Vietnam to explore new business opportunities in Cambodia's cashew sector.

A South Korean company expressed interest in sourcing large quantities of cashew nut shells and investing in a cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) processing plant at the Cashew Industrial Park. However, Silot explained that Cambodia currently has limited supplies of cashew shells due to the country's relatively low domestic processing capacity.

Meanwhile, an Indian company explored the possibility of purchasing raw cashew nuts (RCN) from Cambodia for processing in Vietnam. Silot proposed connecting the company with traders under CAC's network to help secure high-quality raw materials that meet the buyer's requirements.

The meetings underscore growing international interest in Cambodia's cashew industry and CAC's continuing role in facilitating investment, trade and value-added processing opportunities for the sector.

Reference: SDF