NEWS: launching the CAFTA campaign

Today we announce that the Professional Research Institute for Management and Economics (PRIME) has partnered with the Cambodia Australian New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, Indstury and Innovation (CACCII) to launch "the CAFTA campaign", to bring about a Cambodia-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

This campaign evolved from a discussion between PRIME Executive Director John Humphreys and CACCII President Kalyan Ky about the best way to help improve Cambodia-Australia relations and also to help encourage the economic development of Cambodia.

"Access to trade is by far the most effective method of helping disadvantaged people to escape poverty," explained CACCII President Kalyan Ky.

A Cambodia-Australia Free Trade Agreeement (CAFTA) would benefit Cambodia by increasing the trading opportunities for Cambodian producers and exporters, provide cheaper prices to Cambodian consumers and businesses that use imports, provide more investment opportunities, and increase competitive pressures to spur dynamic efficiency. If Australia wants to help the people of Cambodia, then allowing free trade between the two countries is a far better approach that shipping millions of dollars into the bureaucracy.

But the CAFTA is not merely a system for helping Cambodians; free trade between Cambodia and Australia will also benefit Australian business and consumers.

Executive Director of PRIME John Humphreys explains:

"Under the current system, Australian taxpayers contribute billions of dollars towards ineffective, counter-productive, or marginal foreign aid projects, while also restricting trade with Cambodian business. The priorities are backwards and the strategy is wrong. "Instead of more aid, Australia should allow more trade. By reducing barriers to trade, Australia would certainly help Cambodian business and consumers, but this is not just charity, because the trade is mutually beneficial and will also benefit Australian business and consumers."

In the coming months PRIME and CACCII will provide further details on how CAFTA is a win-win opportunity, and will engage decision makers in both Cambodian and Australia to make the case for a free trade agreement.

If you would like to be involved in the CAFTA campaign, then please contact john.humphreys99@gmail.com and join the CAFTA facebook page.