Trade Policy Advisory Board and ADB Hold National Consultation Workshop to Strategise CPTPP Accession

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Trade Policy Advisory Board and ADB Hold National Consultation Workshop to Strategise CPTPP Accession
Trade Policy Advisory Board and ADB Hold National Consultation Workshop to Strategise CPTPP Accession./B2B Asia News.

The Trade Policy Advisory Board (TPAB), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), launched a two-day National Consultation Workshop on "Cambodia's Trade Resilience and Competitiveness for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)" from May 20-21, 2026. 

The workshop's Opening Ceremony was presided over by H.E. Dr. Sok Siphana, Senior Minister in charge of Special Missions (Multilateral Trade and Economic Affairs), Chairman of the TPAB, and Chairman of the Cambodia CPTPP Negotiating Working Group.

The Workshop was attended by high-level dignitaries and key technical officials, including H.E. Dr. Phan Phalla, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Secretary-General of the Economic and Finance Policy Committee; H.E. Tin Ponlork, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment; Milan Thomas, Senior Country Economist at the ADB; and Julian Clarke, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist at the ADB. Technical officers representing line ministries also participated in the session to discuss strategies for enhancing Cambodia's trade capabilities under the agreement.

Notably, Adriana Castro, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Chief Negotiator for Costa Rica, and her colleagues were also in attendance. Following Costa Rica's recent substantial conclusion of their CPTPP accession negotiations, Adriana shared her country's valuable insights and experiences regarding strategic preparation and implementation throughout the negotiation process.

H.E. Dr. Sok Siphana, Senior Minister, speaking at the workshop./B2B Asia News.
Julian Clarke, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist at the ADB, speaking at the workshop./B2B Asia News.

On the second day, the workshop opened with a presentation by Francisco Monfe, Chief Economist and Chief Negotiator on Market Access in Goods at Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Trade, who outlined the CPTPP accession process and its high-ambition standards. Following this, relevant line ministries and technical officials held detailed, interactive reviews focusing on Chapter 3 (Rules of Origin and Origin Procedures) and Chapter 14 (Electronic Commerce).

The two-day event was officially brought to a close with concluding remarks delivered by H.E. Dr. Sok Siphana, alongside the ADB's Julian Clarke, who shared their perspectives on the key takeaways from the workshop and reflected on the direction for Cambodia’s CPTPP accession.

This press release was supplied.

Adriana Castro, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Chief Negotiator for Costa Rica, and colleagues took part in the workshop via online video call./B2B Asia News.
Presentation on the structure of the CPTPP at the workshop./B2B Asia News.