The harsh impacts of the global economic crisis on Cambodia were a stark reminder of the importance of building the country’s resilience to future shocks, especially to protect the poor. In particular, the global downturn exposed the need for Cambodia to focus in the future on more inclusive and equitable growth that reaches and benefits all.

In 2006-2010, UNDP supported the Government’s efforts to refine its economic growth policy agenda to be diversified, inclusive and pro-poor through high-quality research on national competitiveness and monitoring of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Trade Integration Strategy focused on 19 products for export with the potential to improve the livelihoods of 2.5 million farmers. Oil and gas and mining conferences prompted the Government to embark, with UNDP support, on developing policies to build a responsible extractive industries sector.