PHNOM PENH, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's economy is predicted to shrink 1.9 percent this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has said.
"Cambodia's economy in 2020 is expected to contract by 1.9 percent, which is the slowest ever growth," he said in a circular on budget planning for 2021-2023, according to local report reports.
He said due to the pandemic, the Southeast Asian country has experienced a huge decline in demand from its trading partners.
The kingdom's growth heavily relies on garment and footwear exports, tourism, construction and real estate, and agriculture, and due to the pandemic, garment and footwear exports and tourism have been hit the hardest.
However, Hun Sen is optimistic that the country's economy will bounce back to 3.5 percent in 2021 thanks to the gradual recovery of global economy and external demand.
He said inflation is predicted to be at a manageable level of 2.8 percent this year and slightly up to 3.1 percent next year due to the projected rise in an international oil price.
The World Bank said in its latest report late last month that Cambodia's economy is likely to shrink between 1 percent and 2.9 percent this year, which is the slowest growth since 1994.
It said the pandemic will put at risk 1.76 million Cambodian jobs from losses in tourism, manufacturing and construction, which together account for more than 70 percent of growth and almost 40 percent of employment.
Cambodia has so far confirmed a total of 126 cases of COVID-19, with 125 patients cured and one remained hospitalized, according to the Ministry of Health. Enditem
