CAMFEBA

PROJECT TITLE: Strengthening Business Associations

Over the past decade, major economic reforms have helped to transform Cambodia into a trade-oriented economy with thriving industrial and services sectors. Our combination of competitive wages, good labour conditions, and friendly environment approach have fostered Cambodian businesses and attracted international investment. Opportunities for further prosperity lie in vast of land and young population, and location in the heart of one the fastest growing region in the world.

However, to translate opportunity into businesses, products and jobs, the CAMFEBA’s polices must support private sector development and encourage economic expansion. Through extensive research and intense conversations with CAMFEBA’s members, CAMFEBA has identified FOUR key policy areas. In this regards, in order to implement these policy, the project will play very important role to tackle. in addition, representative  business  associations  exist  in  order  to  deliver  value  to  business  through services  that  enterprises  cannot  provide  on  their  own.  Their  strength  lies  in  their representative  nature  and  in  their  functioning  as  networks.  When  they  are  effective,  they create  an  enabling  environment  of  policies,  relationships  and  behaviors  that  foster economic growth and allow enterprises to thrive. 

• To strengthen the role of the business community as an advocate for constructive reform

• To improve the institutional capacity of Cambodian business associations 

A. POLICY ADVOCACY

 FORMING TASKFORCE

The taskforce will create a joint platform to represent the voices of different stakeholders hoping to promote reforms in Cambodia. This taskforce will be formed following a workshop around CAMFEBA’s recently released Business Vision 2020 report “Policy Priorities to Create an Enabling Environment for Sustainable Enterprise Development in Cambodia.” 

• The taskforce will decide which policy priority should be selected among the following:

1.      Creating a conducive legal and regulatory environment to enable enterprise growth and development

2.      Improving governance structures in Cambodia

3.      Matching skills with the needs of the changing economy

• CAMFEBA is an association of individual firms, and a federation of business groups. For this taskforce, CAMFEBA will send an invitation to two dozen active business association leaders (including both its members and non-members) and invite them to join the taskforce. 
• The taskforce will contribute their input and oversee the implementation of the project activities. The taskforce will be chaired by President of CAMFEBA or a board member of CAMFEBA as designated by the President and CAMFEBA will also provide secretarial functions for the taskforce. CIPE’s staff will join the taskforce in an advisory role and will draw on their experiences to ensure the inclusivity of the group and the active participation of the participants. The taskforce will schedule regular meetings throughout the project period. The taskforce will ensure that the policy advocacy efforts will have broader support and buy-in from the private sector in general. CAMFEBA’s experience with the taskforce will also provide essential learning and lay the foundation for similar advocacy efforts in the future.

CONSULTATION ROUNDTABLES

CAMFEBA will document the findings and suggestions from the roundtables and feed this into the policy paper. By gathering a variety of ideas and perspectives, CAMFEBA will ensure the policy paper is not only relevant to the private sector, but also to the general public. The roundtables will provide the foundation for issue-based coalitions for reform.

POLICY PAPER AND RECOMMENDATIONS

For the selected policy issue, CAMFEBA will commission a consultant to generate a policy paper with concrete recommendations.

• The policy paper and recommendations will seek feedback from the taskforce, CAMFEBA members, and experts on the issue. CAMFEBA will organize a workshop for participants to comment and provide suggestions. The process has to ensure the involvement of different stakeholders so there is a strong buy-in for the final product.

OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY

The taskforce will engage in a number of outreach activities to raise public awareness following the completion of the policy paper. CAMFEBA will print some copies of the final policy paper for distribution and these copies will be shared with relevant public officials, members of the parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate), leading business associations, civil society organizations, and other influencers. CAMFEBA will conduct a high-profile press conference to publicize the report and raise awareness of the key recommendations. CAMFEBA will also use popular social media channels to circulate the issue and raise public awareness of its work. 

Based on the results of the public outreach and advocacy of this project, the subsequent project will continue the advocacy efforts and use the upcoming election for the national assembly to push the reform agenda forward. 

B. CAPACITY BUILDING FOR BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS

CAMFEBA finds that the workshop in Jan 2016 was remarkable. It is relatively important compared to other workshops that the project has delivered over the two years. The recent feedbacks from the business associations from the workshop in Jan 2016 pointed out that this was the first time workshop that BAs sat down and talked about issues that BAs have faced. They appreciated for having this workshop and express to have more of it. 

TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS

CIPE will deliver two two-day business association training workshops, for which CAMFEBA will serve as the host organization. The first workshop will take place during the first quarter and the second workshop approximately four months later. Building on previous CIPE-supported training on the advocacy process and public policy analysis, CIPE in this project will focus on the topics suggested by participants, who are eager to learn more about: 

• Strategic planning : The steps and principles to develop a strategic plan for business associations. Examples of organizational strategy that advances a common vision through activities rooted in a clear mission, goals, and objectives, and guiding principles.
• Advocacy : CIPE will continue to help business associations plan, organize and implement strategic advocacy campaigns, other topics to be covered include how to have an effective dialogue for a policy change and develop a message, media strategies, and the use of social media tools. .
• Role of business associations in policy change: CIPE will focus on business associations’ role in policy advocacy within democratic policymaking and issue advocacy, as the means through which their constituents can have a voice in the policy makers. Responsiveness, engagement, and inclusion of their members is essential to business associations’ survival and growth.
• Membership development, engagement, and services: Business associations must develop a sustainable membership base in order to conduct effective and broad-based advocacy that speaks collectively on behalf of their private sector constituencies. CIPE will help these associations develop strategies to recruit and retain members, which will increase their revenue from membership dues and contribute to long-term sustainability. 

TAILORED COACHING AND MENTORING TO BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS

Business associations must submit a one-page application detailing their needs, desired goal and outcome, and a brief description of how the technical assistance would be useful in their daily work. All independent and voluntary membership based business associations are eligible to request CIPE for assistance. CIPE staff will select the successful recipient based on the quality of application. CIPE will provide customized training sessions to at least two associations.

These tailored coaching and mentoring opportunities consist of basic information and foundational concepts delivered through structured training sessions, guided discussions, face to face consultative meetings, or regular skype calls to address their needs and challenges. The training will include an opportunity for personalized coaching for association leaders provided by CIPE trainers and experts.

• Any enquiry or any interest to get involved in the project, please send it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , with subject line “CIPE-CAMFEBA III”.