COVID-19 Response in Economic Policy and Enabling Environment

Period: November 2020 Situation Report No: 04

Updated data: November 30, 2020

Sources: Cambodia’s Ministry of Health and other government agencies, WHO, UN agencies, local media in English and Khmer.

Facts and Figure

COVID-19 reported cases - New cases: 03 - New recovered: 03 - Active cases: 22 - Deaths: 0 - Total recovered: 304 (female: 61; male: 243) - Total cases: 326 (female: 73; male: 253) - Total number of tests: 231,443 (13,776 per one million population)

COVID-19 related Highlights

- Cambodia was ranked 3rd out of the 166 countries and first in Asia for its efforts in preventing the Covid-19 outbreak and minimizing its impacts, based on the report on Economic Prospective Bureau of Senegal in November. - In the spirit of friendship and solidarity in the prevention of COVID-19 pandemic, Cambodian government has donated: o Two million face masks, 20,000 N95 masks, and some medical supplies to Laos on November 16. o Two million face masks and medical equipment to Myanmar on November 26. o Prime Minister Hun Sen said on November 25 Cambodia is ready to provide some medical aid and supplies to Timor Leste to fight COVID-19. - Cambodia suffered two major Covid-19 outbreaks in the month of November: “November 3 incident” and “November 28 Community Event”. - “November 3 Incident” is when high-ranking Cambodian government officials were infected with COVID-19 after they had in direct contacts with the infected Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade during his visit to Cambodia. Hence, the government ordered temporary closures of KTV, nightclubs, cinemas, and museums across the country. Both state and private schools in and are closed for two weeks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. - “November 28 Community Event” is the very first community outbreak found on the wife of a senior government official and a day after (November 29) 3,332 specimens of those were in contact with the event have been taken. Some 2,248 specimens have been tested and 14 are COVID-19 positive. - The government on November 28 closed down Aeon Mall Phnom Penh (AEON 1) for two to three days after the affected woman had gone for shopping at the mall. The Phnom Penh Hotel was also shut down for two days after she went there for exercise. - All public schools across the country have been instructed to end the 2019-2020 academic year on November 30. - Prime Minister Hun Sen issued 10 guidelines on November 30 to prevent Covid-19 community transmission in Phnom Penh: 1. Delay all gatherings including wedding receptions, parties, or religious gatherings till December 16. 2. Allow gatherings if less than 20 people participate but adhere social distancing of 1.5 meters. 3. Inform and educate people who have direct or indirect contacts to November 28 Community Event to have tests. 4. Inspect restaurants, food courts, and markets to follow the preventive measures (alcohol rub sanitizers and distancing) 5. Temporarily suspend business activities of KTVs, cinemas, gyms, steam sauna, and massage places. 6. Monitor those who are doing self-quarantine at home and at the places arranged by Phnom Penh Capital Hall. 7. Do not travel unnecessarily and if unavoidable do not contribute to a crowded situation at the traffic lights. 8. Delay all meetings of the 14 districts/Khans, departments and units under Phnom Penh Capital Hall till December 16. For the service sections, it is mandatory for temperature screening, face mask wearing, handwashing and social distancing. 9. For both state-owned and private markets, it is required to have and adhere the temperature screening, face mask wearing, handwashing and social distancing. 10. Firmly follow other preventive measures of Ministry of Health and relevant institutions.

Socio-Economic Trends

- Cambodia began the 4th round of free trade talks with South Korea on November 17 in the areas of customs clearance, market access and a range of other components. - E-commerce revenue in Cambodia is expected to reach USD 183 million by the end of 2020 and online shoppers has increased to 4.8 million (nearly a quarter of the population). - University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) is planning to open an international branch campus in province of Cambodia to contribute to Cambodian human resource development in the areas of business and trade. - As a French-speaking country, Cambodia invites French speaking entrepreneurs and investors to Cambodia to cooperate and to invest in energy. - Cambodia has exported more than 600,000 tonnes of milled rice in the first 11 months of the year (increased 16%), according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. - In the month of November 2020, Facebook posts of the Council of the Development of Cambodia (CDC) revealed that 12 investment projects on the productions of apparels, textiles, plastic pipes, lighting bulbs, wiring supplies, fruit processing, shoes, bags, groves and boxes packaging have been approved with the total capital investment of US dollars 50.6 million and job creations of 7,468 (posted till 27 November)

N.0 Company/Investments Industry Location Investment Job projects Capital (million creation USD) 1 Harmony Apparel Co., Apparels Khan Pou Senchey, 2.8 784 Ltd. Phnom Penh 2 Sean Zorina Fashion Apparels Angk , 3 673 (Cambodia) Co., Ltd Kandal province 3 Gao Long Jiang Plastic Various types of Takhmao 7.4 179 Pipe Co.,Ltd plastic pipes & tubes municipality, Kandal province 4 Ming Yung Hung Lighting bulbs, , 5.5 504 Enterprise (Cambodia) lighting sets, lamp Phnom Penh Co.,Ltd components, wiring supplies 5 Zhong Bao (Cambodia) All kind of fruit Phnom 5.1 1,216 Food Science & processing Sruoch district, Technology Co.,Ltd 6 G4tec Property & Groves , 3.9 579 Investment Co.,Ltd province 7 Lian Feng Shoes Material Components of , 2.1 291 Co.,Ltd. shoes, bags and Kampong Speu clothes province 8 Able Point Industry artificial hair and Khan Po Sen Chey, 2.3 246 Co.,Ltd masks Phnom Penh 9 K R R Processing Food Fruit processing Phnom 6.3 362 Co., Ltd Sruoch district, Kampong Speu province 10 Charmgo (Cambodia) Various kind of bags Tong 5.6 1,518 Co., Ltd district, Kampong Speu province 11 Shanda (Cambodia) Textiles , Takeo 3.6 914 Textile Co., Ltd province 12 East Golden Paper carton and paper , 3 202 Industry (Cambodia) Co., boxes Phnom Penh Ltd Total 50.6 7,468

Additional Supports

- Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on November 30 that the government is to disburse about US dollars 290,200 to support poor people being placed in 14-day quarantine to prevent the COVID-19. Each poor family will be given US dollars 75 for the two-week quarantine. - The government offered USD 150 million to construct 38 roads in (one of the three poles of economics among Phnom Penh & ) to modernize the city and improve the tourism experience in this renowned travel destination. - ADB has approved a USD 70 million loan to improve the capacity of agribusinesses in six provinces across Cambodia to process key agricultural products such as cassava, cashews, mangoes, vegetables, and poultry.

Immigration and Travel Information

- Cambodian government announced November 30 that all foreign and Cambodian passengers arriving in Cambodia are no longer allowed to conduct self-quarantine at home, but at the government designated centres. Previously, for any flights carried COVID-19 infected passengers and those who flew with them were allowed to have quarantine at their home for 14 days. - Cambodia's three international airports on November 30 have earned health accreditations from Airport Council International (ACI) for practicing proper health procedures, including cleaning and disinfection, social distancing and staff safety. - All foreign nationals are required to possess Health Certification (in English or French), indicating a negative COVID-19 status within 72 hours prior to the date of departure. - All foreign nationals must provide proof of Health Insurance Documents with a minimum medical coverage of 50,000 USD. - Foreign travelers are required to deposit USD 2,000 upon the arrivals at the international airport which used to cover hotel accommodations while waiting for Covid-19 test result.