The Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) under the Non-Bank Financial Services Authority (FSA) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has accredited the state-owned Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia (CGCC) as the country’s first  guarantor for bond issuance to support local companies in raising funds, said a statement.

The statement obtained by Khmer Times last Friday pointed out that the SERC issued a formal letter to accredit CGCC as Cambodia’s first bond issuance guarantor on August 22, 2023, which will play an important role in the development of the securities sector in the country through being a third party in making payments of timely interest and principal.

CGCC has developed a policy framework on bond guarantee that was approved by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of MEF Aun Pornmoniroth on May 17, 2023, in response to the sustainable development of Cambodia’s financial market through the company’s delivering guarantee on bond issuance services to corporations to raise funds for business development.

“The guarantee on bond issuance service can provide further support to encourage bond issuance by local companies, attract investors to invest in corporate bonds, increase the liquidity of riel from the bond issuance and improve the credit rating of corporate bonds, in which response to the sustainable development of the financial market,” said the statement.

Sou Socheat, Director General of SERC, told Khmer Times last Friday that accrediting the CGCC as a guarantor is another milestone for our bond market development and the presence of CGCC in the securities market is expected to help to boost the bond market development in Cambodia through building more market confidence and lower the issuance cost.

“As for our regulation, we cover only corporate bonds but we also don’t prohibit [the guarantor] from guaranteeing the government bonds,” said Socheat, when asked whether CGCC or a bond guarantor can guarantee government bonds or not. “So, it should be their answer if they want to provide guarantee to government bond,” Socheat pointed out.

Wong Keet Loong, CEO of CGCC, said that CGCC has become the first bond guarantee institution in Cambodia to corporate bonds listed on the country’s stock market Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX), which is a step towards developing the bond market in Cambodia and the company will apply for a credit rating from the Rating Agency of Cambodia.

“Private sector businesses can now raise funds via issuing a bond to support their business expansions [as] bond issuance is another option for private sector companies to obtain funds besides loans from financial institutions,” said Keet Loong, adding that a credit rating will enhance the bond rating of the corporate bond that is guaranteed by CGCC as the guarantor.

“With our guarantee, bond investors will have added confidence in investing in corporate bonds. Local financial institutions including insurance companies can now become bond investors with guarantees. As a local bond guarantor, we hope to attract more foreign funds to the stock exchange,” said Keet Loon. CGCC gets technical and financial support from MEF.

Ros Seilava, Secretary of State of MEF, said allowing CGCC to expand its business to bond guarantee is a long-term consideration of the government to make full use of CGCC’s role to participate in the development of the bond market through guarantee on bond issuance in addition to CGCC’s on-going implementation on loan guarantee in the banking sector.

“[It] reflects the government’s strong commitment to ensure the sustainability of the company’s businesses to support the development of small and medium enterprises in our country,” said Seilava, who is also the chairman of CGCC with its primary mission to provide credit guarantee to improve financial inclusion and support the growth of SMEs in Cambodia.

Credit to: Khmer Times