H.E. Mr. Prasith SUON

Mr. Prasith SUON joined the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), Royal Government of Cambodia more than twenty-six years since 1997. Prior appointment as Ambassador 2023, Mr. SUON served as Counsellor to the mission since 2021. He has led-intergovernmental negotiation group from Cambodia for the ASEAN-Japan FTA, ASEAN-H.K, China FTA. He is a member of Mekong Regional Cooperation from the MoC, Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 in Regulatory Excellence and TBT, and other tasks in his capacity of Deputy Director General of International Trade since 2016 prior he took his post in Geneva. 

As a Director of the Americas from 2014-2016, Mr. SUON has been actively engaged with the United States (U.S.) in joining with Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia to negotiate on GSP travel bags from Obama’s Administration in 2015, which has been attracting more than 40 manufacturers to Cambodia. In addition, he has also engaged in reinvigorated trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) with USTR, the U.S-Cambodia Competitiveness and Growth Dialogue with the U.S. Department of States, and the U.S. ASEAN Business Council. Besides the U.S., he has also engaged with the Canadian government by matching Cambodia-Canadian businesspeople and other activities.

From 2008-2014, Mr. SUON has extensive experience in implementing, and project development, and was deeply involved in drafting two Cambodia Trade Integration Strategies as deputy director of the international cooperation department and the EIF Project Manager and Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department. At the same time, he has invited to participate in a Regional Aid for Trade in Asia and the Pacific that was coordinated by the ADB. 

Mr. SUON has experienced working with various multilateral and bilateral development partners in Cambodia, notably WB, ADB, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNIDO, UNESCAP, UNOPS, IFAD, USAID, JICA, KOICA, ITC among others.

Prior to working for the MoC, he worked as visiting lecturer at the Royal School Administration in 2014-2015 and at ENA Royal University of Law and Economy in 2013, a national consultant for the EIF in 2011-2014, short contract with ITC, business development manager to Craft Network-Cambodia, IFC, in 2007, and a deputy head of national consultant which developed the Cambodia National Export Strategy in 2005.  In addition, he used to serve as a marketing executive at the Apsara Media Group (TV11 & Radio 97) in 1996.