Khmer Times: Cambodia secured a $250 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday to safeguard its economy against the fallout from the Middle East conflict.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth and ADB Country Director for Cambodia Yasmin Siddiqi signed the agreement​​​​​​​​​​​ in Phnom Penh. Nianshan Zhang, ADB ​​​​director general for Southeast Asia, joined the ceremony.

The financing supports Cambodia’s Rapid Intervention for Stabilisation of the Economy (RISE) programme. According to an ADB news release, the funds will underwrite targeted fiscal measures, protect social spending in the 2026 national budget, and promote clean energy technologies.

“More than 1 million poor households registered under the government’s IDPoor programme will receive income support, including at least 350,000 households headed by women,” the release stated. Assistance will span debt relief and rural agricultural inputs.

Zhang said the loan bolsters state efforts to shield vulnerable populations from inflationary pressures, maintain economic activity, and build resilience against future shocks. Because Cambodia imports its entire oil and gas supply, global price volatility directly impacts domestic agriculture, industry, services, and transport sectors.

“For poor and vulnerable households, these pressures translate into higher living costs, lower incomes, rising debt, and unemployment,” Zhang said. Xinhua

Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com