H.E. Hem Vanndy, Cambodia’s Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, met with Ms. Anna Nesterova, the head of the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women Business Alliance (WBA). The goal was to look for ways to deepen cooperation in women’s entrepreneurship (business ownership) and innovation.
Cambodia’s Focus
During the meeting on November 20th, Minister Vanndy emphasized the crucial part that businesses run by women play. He stated that “women’s entrepreneurship is essential to building an economy that is strong, includes everyone, and is ready for the future.”
He welcomed the support the BRICS WBA gives to the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN) and their increasing interest in working with Cambodia.
BRICS’s Vision
Ms. Nesterova praised Cambodia’s quick development and beauty, and shared updates from her meetings with the country’s tourism sector. She confirmed that the BRICS WBA is a platform focused purely on business and creativity, not politics, covering areas like:
- Creative industries
- Tourism
- Agriculture
- Finance
- Technology and science
She also highlighted several key initiatives, including:
- The annual WBA Summit.
- The Women Startup Contest.
- Future plans to start a Women Business Allocation Fund and open more regional offices across ASEAN, including in Cambodia.
What is BRICS?
The BRICS group is an international organization made up of major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It has since expanded to include other partner countries. The group works together to promote trade, investment, innovation, and development that benefits everyone in their member and partner countries.