A total of 575 investment projects were approved by the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) in the first 10 months of 2025, an increase of nearly 70% compared to the same period in 2024. Most of the projects will be located in Kampong Speu and Svay Rieng provinces, explained a November 7 CDC statement.
According to the CDC, the projects represent a total investment capital of $9.2 billion. 218 of the 575 projects will be located in special economic zones (SEZs). These figures represent an increase of 229 projects (66%) and $3.7 billion (67%) in investment compared to the same period in 2024, when 346 projects worth $5.5 billion were approved.
The majority of the approved projects are in Kampong Speu, with 130, closely followed by Svay Rieng with 129. Phnom Penh will host 68, Takeo 59, Koh Kong 50, Kandal 47 and Preah Sihanouk 45, along with limited projects in other provinces.
“It is noteworthy that within just 10 months, the CDC has already registered more investment projects than in the entire year of 2024 — by as many as 161 projects,” added the statement.
Of the total $9.2 billion, $5.5 billion went to the industrial sector, $405 million to agriculture and agro-industry, $175 million to tourism and $3.1 billion to infrastructure and other sectors. The 575 projects are expected to create approximately 400,000 jobs.
The main sources of investment were China (52.38%), followed by Cambodia (32.89%), Singapore (5.97%), and Vietnam (4.42%), with additional contributions from the British Virgin Islands, UK, US, the Cayman Islands and Samoa, among others.
In October 2025 alone, the CDC approved 29 projects worth a total of $1.4 billion, which are expected to create around 25,000 jobs.
Hong Vanak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post on November 7 that despite global political and economic uncertainty, Cambodia still has the potential to attract both domestic and international investors.
He explained that the main reasons investors continue to set up factories and enterprises in Cambodia include favourable investment laws, a young and abundant labour force, convenient transport infrastructure and access to multiple export markets.
“The increase in investment applications and project approvals clearly demonstrates investor confidence in Cambodia’s business environment as well as the growing openness of its export markets. The number of investment projects in Cambodia is expected to continue rising in the near future,” he said.
To promote and attract foreign investors to invest directly or source goods from Cambodia, government leaders and the private sector frequently travel abroad to attend events and meetings aimed at promoting and explaining Cambodia’s investment environment.
For example, since late October, Sun Chanthol, first vice-president of the CDC, along with government and private-sector representatives, has travelled to Canada and the US for discussions with senior government officials and major investors.
In 2024, the CDC approved 414 investment projects, an increase of 54% (146 projects) compared to 2023, which saw 268 projects registered. The total investment capital for 2024 reached approximately $6.9 billion, a 40% increase from the $4.92 billion reported in 2023.
