Cambodia’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are looking to the new year to access more credit guarantee schemes, such as the Credit Guarantee Corp of Cambodia (CGCC), which has now been slated for public access in March or April this year.

Local SMEs have been requesting assistance in accessing financing throughout the pandemic with economists stating that ensuring businesses stay open until the pandemic is over will be imperative for the Cambodian economy to achieve the estimated 5-6 percent growth this year.

It was reported in October that a sub-decree was signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen stating the CGCC will provide loans to “tackle challenges in the lending market and promote financial inclusion”.

The CGCC will be tasked with providing credit services, evaluating and managing