Cambodia's Central Bank Discusses Financial Sector Enhancement with IFC

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) held a working meeting with a delegation from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on September 23, 2026, to exchange views on strengthening cooperation in the financial sector and the development of Cambodia's economy. The meeting took place at the NBC's Wat Phnom building, with NBC Governor H.E. Dr. Chea Serey leading the Cambodian side, and Mr. Allen Forlemu, Director of the Financial Institutions Group and Regional Head for Asia and the Pacific, leading the IFC delegation, accompanied by the World Bank's Country Manager and IFC Country Representative for Cambodia. During the meeting, Mr. Allen Forlemu expressed his commitment to continuing long-term support for Cambodia's financial sector, building on past successes and good cooperation, including support for the establishment of the Credit Bureau of Cambodia and the development of the microfinance sector. Despite some challenges faced by the sector, Mr. Forlemu affirmed IFC's stance to continue supporting Cambodia's financial sector, emphasizing its crucial role in driving economic growth, improving people's livelihoods, and especially creating jobs for women. He also shared IFC's strategy of focusing on certain priority sectors in Cambodia that can contribute to boosting economic activity and job creation. In response, H.E. Dr. Chea Serey welcomed IFC's intention to continue supporting Cambodia's financial sector and highlighted that the priority sectors identified in IFC's strategy align with Cambodia's economic development priorities. She further noted the role of development partners, including IFC, in developing Cambodia's microfinance sector, which has been recognized as an international model. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship training and enhancing financial literacy, encouraging development partners to strengthen support for financial education programs. The discussions also underscored the importance of strengthening financial consumer protection through regulatory frameworks and effective complaint resolution mechanisms, as well as promoting responsible lending. IFC shared progress on strengthening financial consumer protection, including facilitating complaint resolution and monitoring the implementation of relevant standards by financial institutions. Source: NBC