Prior to Covid Cambodia enjoyed decades of strong growth, which averaged 7.6 per cent between 1994 and 2015. The World Bank said the country was one of the top 10 fastest growing economies in the world over the last 20 years moving from a low-income to middle-income country in 2016. But recovery post-Covid has been slow.
Hun Sen first became Prime Minister in 1985 and remained in office until 1993 when he was named second Prime Minister under a coalition government. However, in a coup in 1997, Hun Sen removed Prime Minister Prince Ranariddh from office and won the elections to take office again in 1998.
Elections were held in July and as expected, itts was a landslide for Hun Sen, who has chosen to retire having ensured that the ruling party was all but gauranteed an outright victory. Hun Sen also secured his succession plan, with his eldest son, Hun Manet, who won his first seat during the election to replace him as prime minister. Hun Manet was the Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army and trained in the US.
Te Cambodia People’s Party is the sole dominant party in Cambodia and since 2018 has commanded all but four seats in parliament. His government is listed as one of the most corrupt governments in the world and Sen has been accused of ignoring human rights and instigating political oppression.
Hun Sen recently shut down one of the country’s last independent media outlets ahead of the country’s election. Te Voice of Democracy radio had published a story which
P50 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Hun Sen disagreed with and the police revoked the online media outlet’s operating licence in February. It was the last major news organisation in the country after a major crackdown on civil expression in 2017 and 2018.
During this time around 15 radio stations were banned from broadcasting the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia programmes in 2017 and the Cambodia Daily newspaper was forced to close down that same year with unpaid tax allegations.
Cambodia has a huge reputation as a corrupt nation and the country still suffers from widespread corruption, human rights violation issues and a weak legal system.
Tere has recently been a large influx of migrant Bangladesh workers travelling into Cambodia in search of work. Tis is mostly due to the blow Bangladesh suffered during and post-Covid, coupled with the Russian-Ukrainian war, resulting in high inflation and low purchasing power.
Prior to Covid, Cambodia enjoyed decades of strong growth, which averaged 7.6 per cent between 1994 and 2015. Te World Bank said the country was one of the top 10 fastest
growing economies in the world in the last 20 years, moving from a low-income to middle- income country in 2016.
However, recovery post-Covid has been slow. And as Cambodia opened its doors to foreign workers the country is now said to be one of the most corrupt countries in Asia with a huge cybercrime industry and reports of surges in human trafficking.
In 2021, the Justice Minister in Cambodia pledged to crack down on corruption in the judicial system.
Te country is still one of the world’s poorest countries, with much of the workforce employed in subsistence farming.
It is forecast that Cambodia’s real GDP growth will be 5.6 per cent this year and will benefit from new trade agreements aimed at continued investment and exports.
Te unemployment rate for 2023 was expected to be around two per cent. In 2021, the rate was 0.61 per cent. Te low rate is due to the government’s policy that focuses on sustained economic growth and the creation of job opportunities for the youth.
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