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Cambodia: Manufacturing and service sectors boost employment

According to the government ‘s release this week of the Kingdom’s 2019 census report, the manufacturing and service sector have accounted for the largest rise in employment over the last decade, seeing millions of jobs created across the country.

The manufacturing sector’s share of the employed population increased from 8.5 percent in 2008 to 18.8 percent in 2019, which is equivalent to the creation of approximately 1.5 million new manufacturing jobs over that period. The proportion of the service industry in the employment population has also increased, from 19.2 percent in 2008 to 26.5 percent in 2019, which is equivalent to adding about 1 million new jobs within that period.

In contrast, the proportion of agriculture jobs in the employment population dropped from 72.3 percent in 2008 to 54.7 percent by 2019.

According to the complete report of the 2019 census issued by the Ministry of Planning this week, as of March 3, 2019, the total population of the country was 15.55 million, an increase of 2.16 million from 13.39 million in 2008.

The urban population has also expanded rapidly. In 2019, that proportion of the total population had increased to 39.4 percent, while in 2008 it was only 19.5 percent.

The results of the census show that the structural transformation of Cambodia’s national economy has been increasing rapidly from that of a traditional agricultural country to a modern economy with high added-value and increased productivity driven by industries and services.

Upon the news of the manufacturing sector creating so many jobs over the last decade comes word of another garment factory being approved.

A $3.1 million garment factory will be built in the Bati district of Takeo province, creating 702 new jobs for the locals.

The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) shared the news yesterday following its approval of the investment project.

The garment factory is an investment by Brightness (Cambodia) Garment Factory Co Ltd.

Since early this month, the CDC has given the green light to seven investment projects, including the above one, with a total investment of nearly $27.6 million, generating some 4,000 job opportunities.

Such investment amid the COVID-19 outbreak demonstrates the confidence of investors in Cambodia’s macroeconomic, political and social stability, despite it being threatened by the pandemic.

Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50807973/manufacturing-and-service-sectors-boost-employment/