AKP Phnom Penh, March 23, 2026 -- 

Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) convened their 12th High-Level Meeting in Phnom Penh, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen intellectual property (IP) cooperation and enhance access to IP systems for businesses and innovators.

The meeting reviewed progress under the bilateral workplan, including patent re-registration, capacity building, and the adoption of a joint seminar on IP registration processes and digital tools in Cambodia and Singapore.

Both sides discussed practical measures to simplify IP application procedures, promote greater awareness among Cambodian SMEs, and expand technical collaboration, including examiner training under the Singapore Patent Examiner Exchange & Development (SPEED) programme.

IPOS highlighted its vision of positioning ASEAN as an attractive destination for foreign direct investment, emphasising that strong IP protection frameworks are critical to building investor confidence and enabling innovation-driven growth.

During the meeting, H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of MISTI, underscored the importance of improving accessibility to IP systems, particularly for engineers, scientists, and local innovators who often face challenges navigating legal filing processes.

He called for expanded training programmes, closer engagement with universities and research centres, and stronger linkages with initiatives supporting SMEs, including financing for patent applications.

The Minister also emphasised the long-term vision of developing a public-facing digital portal to improve access to patent information and promote legal use of technologies.

AKP-MISTI