INFRASTRUCTURE needs to be put in place to help develop Cambodia’s fledgling oil, gas and mining industries, the deputy secretary general of the Supreme National Economic Council has said.

More than 200 officials gathered together in a roundtable discussion on Cambodia’s natural resources in Phnom Penh on Friday. The session was an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing extractive industries.

Mam Sambath, chair of Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency, noted that resources both onshore and offshore are being explored by foreign companies. But some businesses are concerned about the local management and lack of expertise in Cambodia.

The government admitted it has hurdles to address in regulating the potentially lucrative oil, gas and mining sectors.

“We are still short of technical capacity, and infrastructure has not been improved yet,” said Phan Phalla, deputy secretary general of the Supreme National Economic Council. “If we want to develop both the mining and oil and gas sector, we should have a good infrastructure in the place,” he said, pointing out the need for a petrol taxation law.

“These are the shortcoming and challenges for the government to address.”

A petroleum law is currently being drafted under the auspices of the Cambodia National Petroleum Authority, he said.