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Capacity Building Workshop on Housing Finance and Mortgage-Backed Securities Held in Phnom Penh


Phnom Penh: A capacity building workshop on “Housing Finance and Mortgage-Backed Securities” was held here on Jan. 27, aiming to promote awareness of housing finance needs and models, perspectives on mortgage-backed securities.



According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the workshop was co-organised by the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), and Japan Housing Finance Agency (JHFA) at the Non-Bank Financial Services Authority (FSA) building. The event attracted management and officials from SERC, representatives from ASEC, Real Estate Business and Pawnshop Regulator, Social Security Regulator, Cambodia Securities Exchange, Cambodia Association of Securities Firms, Association of Banks in Cambodia, Commercial Banks, Fund Management Companies, Trustees, and expert speakers from the ADB, Nomura Research Institute Thailand, and JHFA, totaling 108 attendees.



“As we move forward, we envision a securities market that is not only dynamic and resilient but also a key driver of sustainable economic growth in the housing sector,” said H.E. Sou Socheat, Delegate of the Royal Government in charge as Director General of the SERC. “By introducing innovative instruments like mortgage-backed securities, we aim to empower investors, enhance access to affordable housing finance, and contribute to the broader development of our economy and society.”



Mr. Takahiro Yamakawa, Deputy Director of Regional Financial Cooperation Division, Ministry of Finance, Japan, highlighted Japan’s long-standing support for Cambodia’s bond market development under the ASEAN+3 Bond Markets Initiative (ABMI), facilitated through the Japan-ASEAN Financial Technical Assistance Fund. He remarked that the workshop would help Cambodian regulators and market participants learn from the development paths of housing finance and mortgage-backed securities in Japan and ASEAN.



Mr. Satoru Yamadera, Advisor of ADB, stressed the increasing importance of housing finance for middle-income and low-income households in urbanising Asia. He assured that ADB, as the secretariat of ABMI, would continue to assist Cambodian regulators in diversifying financial products such as housing loans and mortgage-backed securities.



The workshop featured case studies on Japanese housing finance and mortgage-backed securities in ASEAN countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, showcasing best practices and regional applications for financial innovation.