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This series presents the Framework along with national studies that were prepared following its guidelines. Each national study is expected to contribute, through policy analyses and recommendations, to policy discussions on how to improve access to finance by MSMEs. The preparation of national studies based on a common framework is also expected to facilitate comparisons across countries to share experiences, identify good practices, and understand common challenges.

This report was commissioned by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and was prepared by Sopheara Ek, Managing Partner at Business and Development Trusted Solutions (BDtruS), a business consultancy based in Phnom Penh.

The study was guided by ESCAP’s Framework for Country Studies on MSMEs Access to Finance in Asia and the Pacific, MSME Financing Series No. 1, Bangkok: United Nations, 2020. The analysis focused on three key aspects of financial access: the enabling environment, demand and supply perspectives, and priority activities to enhance the functioning and establishment of a vibrant financial ecosystem that offers MSMEs diverse pathways to funding. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to select financial institutions and MSMEs to interview. Consultations were conducted with 46 organizations, including government agencies, financial institutions (FIs), business membership associations, investment firms, FinTech firms, an angel investor network, the Credit Bureau of Cambodia (CBC), a business development service provider, and selected MSMEs. Primary and secondary data was first collected between mid-October and the end of December 2018 in Phnom Penh and information was updated based on the secondary data collected between November and December 2020.
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Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division +66 2 288-1234 [email protected]