Study tour provides export-oriented enterprises with insights into the postal system

01.06.2022
As part of the ongoing project to support the Customs authority and Cambodia Post in linking their respective electronic systems for processing clearances of small packages, a group of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) visited Cambodia Post to develop greater awareness of the benefits of cross-border e-commerce.   

The study tour on May 18 plays an important role in efforts by the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation and implementing partner Swisscontact to strengthen MSMEs’ capacity through technical assistance, training, online and offline visits and exchanges to selected institutions in Cambodia and across the region. 

A key part of the overall project involves raising awareness of international e-commerce opportunities. This includes providing practical information on the rules and procedures governing trade in small packages using the postal service and express shipments and creating opportunities to meet leading service providers responsible for sending small packages overseas. MSMEs and postal officials comprised the majority of the 48 participants. They were joined by three Swisscontact facilitators and CWEA members.

"The study tour was a good opportunity for Cambodia Post to showcase its enhanced services to local business owners. The Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs Association (CWEA) represents hundreds of local women-owned small and medium enterprises. To gain confidence and trust from its members to use the Post services would be a great achievement for Cambodia Post."
Said Mr. Then Samvisoth, Director General of Cambodia Post.
"By attending the workshop, I learned about Cambodia Post’s process of sending packages domestically and internationally, and their available services. I am looking to see how it improves its services and scope for the benefit of local entrepreneurs. This event has also helped me to build my network by meeting other business owners, to share my experience and it has also given me an opportunity to ask questions directly to postal officials."
Ms. Mao Sothea, founder of SheAgrocam, a dried fruits producer spoke enthusiastically about the visit.

Following this successful initiative, a similar visit is planned to DHL Express. These tours will help to prepare selected MSMEs chosen as Small Package Exports Champions to complete a scheduled, three-month training workshop and mentorship programme. 

Ms. Onie Luna, Executive Director of CWEA, in the middle
"This study tour allows CWEA members to learn about the Express Mail Services (EMS) that they may have not known of or used before. This gives MSMEs another reliable option to consider when they want to use postal services to send packages locally or globally."
Ms. Onie Luna, Executive Director of CWEA, also expressed her appreciation to Cambodia Post for opening its doors to her organization. 

Ms. Luna also singled out Cambodia Post’s door-to-door delivery option, saying that many of her members had shown interest in this because it would relieve the burden of transporting certain products to customers, particularly small consignments of product samples. 

Improving Small Package E-Trade for SMEs (SeT4SME), is a two-year project (2021-2022) of Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (the Alliance), implemented by Swisscontact in partnership with Ministry of Commerce (MoC), and with the collaboration of the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), Cambodia Post, The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Universal Postal Union (UPU) and Cambodian Women Entrepreneurs Association (CWEA).

2021 - 2023
Cambodia
Trade
Improving Small Package E-Trade for SMEs
Improving Small Package E-Trade for SMEs (SeT4SME) is a two-year project (2021-2023) for the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation. This project aims to support Cambodia in improving its trade performance and driving inclusive growth in the country by enhancing trade facilitation implementation with improved transparency in trade practices and reduced time and cost of cross-border e-trade.