Young entrepreneurs are the future of Cambodia
APPLAUSE is due to those unnamed diplomats who toiled behind the scenes to evolve the formulation that ended the deadlock at Doklam. Since “truce” thrills neither party, there is little point splitting hairs over the language used in the statements issued in New Delhi and Beijing, or trying to analyse which side lost more. That a devastating military confrontation was averted should provide much relief to those prosecuting foreign policy – even if the trigger was ostensibly to save the upcoming BRICS summit.
At the time of writing, there was no announcement of Narendra Modi joining those deliberations, yet there appears little reason to carry out the unofficial threat to stay away. Domestic political interests always heavily impact foreign relations: that both sides have been provided a facesaver underscores the quality of the diplomatic exercise.
New Delhi would undo some of that effort if it seeks to gloat over its having insisted that diplomacy was the preferred way out – let the Chinese make their own evaluation of their uncharacteristic rhetoric that verged on a war of words. For they would have to concede that India – and Bhutan too for that matter – did not buckle under pressure. Nor did Beijing’s belligerence secure much global backing: its expanding the scope of the conflict fuelled concerns over its action in the South China Sea. The Chinese consider themselves a major player on the world stage, going ballistic over Doklam did not boost that projection.
The disengagement of forces on the plateau at the Trijunction, however, is only the first step. There is need to progress beyond the recent statements and try to attain a settlement on the “basics”, which will have a spin-off along the 3,488-kilometre Line of Actual Control: standoffs are too risky to be accepted as the norm. It is more than “varying perceptions” of the border that are vexatious, the scope for conflict will expand as India tries to address the infrastructure imbalance on the frontier.
Augmenting India’s military prowess is unavoidable: the last army chief to lead this country in war has recently articulated the considerable advantage the Chinese enjoy – which possibly influenced the Indian stress on diplomacy over Doklam.
Every effort must be made to avert Indian envoys negotiating from a militarily disadvantaged posture. A rerun of 1962 is hardly possible, or an Indian prime minister would ever again be so detached from reality as to ask the army to “throw the Chinese out”, yet the Doklam-linked threat to the Chicken’s Neck the narrow strip of Indian territory connecting the northeastern states to the rest of India did revive memories of Nehru saying farewell to the northeast. Infrastructure, it needs emphasising, is not only of military relevance – it ensures the local populace develops stakes in India.
MANY young Cambodian’s today face a range of challenges when they start their working lives; their lack of experience, skills and capital often mean the work they find is poor quality and low-paid. Research by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Cambodia confirms that while youth unemployment is low (3.8 percent), this rate disguises the high rates of vulnerable employment or work that is dirty, dangerous and demeaning. In addition, for many women and youth in Cambodia today, sociocultural and family pressures are an additional burden that can restrict or limit the freedom they have to pursue their true aspirations.
As a young person I was fortunate enough to fall into a career I am passionate about, and I had a head start because I had gained work experience before I graduated high school. So I believe the youth of Cambodia have great potential and the country will benefit if opportunities and support are unlocked for youth to achieve their full potential. That is why, for me, the national rollout of the entrepreneurship curriculum by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MoEYS) is a step in the right direction.
Too many people in Cambodia don’t appreciate that entrepreneurship is more than just knowing how to run a business and make money. It is a way of looking at the world and a set of skills that encourages creativity, resiliency and ongoing lifelong learning from experience. Entrepreneurs are optimistic and look to the future; they believe that success is possible and are willing to take risks. They’re fast moving, able to change quickly and willing to try different approaches and new ways of working. A society that encourages and rewards entrepreneurship is more dynamic and better placed to prosper in the modern world – no one has more energy and optimism to channel into entrepreneurship than youth.
We are fortunate in Cambodia to have many examples of young entrepreneurs who are helping to build a better and more prosperous society. Entrepreneurs like Kongngy Sav, founder of My Dream Home, have introduced innovative solutions to provide low-cost, environmentally friendly housing options that could see millions of Khmer brothers and sisters benefit; entrepreneurs like Rithy Tul are leading the way to ensure that new ways of thinking and new approaches are encouraged and not constrained by mobilising peer-to-peer support by youth entrepreneurs for youth entrepreneurs; and strong women like Sreat Mom Sophear are using their business expertise and success to represent young women entrepreneurs throughout the county and ensure that their needs and contribution are not overlooked or undervalued by the government or business sectors.
These examples and the energy and passion among young people that I see and hear everywhere in Cambodia make me optimistic about our country’s future. But the success of our young entrepreneurs will require targeted policies and services to allow this generation to reach their full potential and young people need to be aware that there is still a lot of opportunity for new startups. Access to training and skills development for all is just a starting point though. For this reason I took part in the national Entrepreneurship Roundtable, organised by MoEYS and ILO, on August 24. I call on all sectors – business, government, academia, international organisations, civil society – to reflect on the discussions we had and take forward the key recommendations that emerged.