Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – The 2025 ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN) Forum and Awards Gala successfully concluded on November 21st at the Sofitel Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This grand event brought together high-level government officials, business leaders, and outstanding female entrepreneurs from ASEAN countries to conduct in-depth discussions on core topics such as regional collaboration, digital innovation empowerment, and women's entrepreneurship empowerment, providing an important exchange platform for promoting the rise of women's economic power in ASEAN.
At the AWEN Awards Gala held that evening, Ms. Wu Huizhen, President of the Cambodian Bird's Nest Producers and Exporters Association, Executive Vice President of the Youth Committee of the Federation of Khmer Chinese Associations, and Chairperson of Cambodia Bird's Nest House Co., Ltd., was awarded the "Outstanding Female Entrepreneur Award" for her outstanding achievements in the business field and her positive contributions to regional economic development, becoming one of the Cambodian award recipients at this forum. The gala recognized over one hundred outstanding female entrepreneurs from ASEAN countries, showcasing the core role of women in driving high-quality regional economic development. Cambodian Minister of Women's Affairs, Hoang Kantha Phavi, attended the gala and delivered a speech.
At the forum's opening ceremony, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice President of the Development Council, Sun Chanthol, attended on behalf of Prime Minister Hun Manet and delivered a keynote speech. He called on ASEAN countries to build consensus on cooperation, fully unleash the entrepreneurial and innovative potential of women in the region, and jointly build a sustainable and inclusive regional economic development ecosystem based on cross-border cooperation and digital technology innovation. Cambodian Minister of Industry and Technological Innovation, Han Vandy, in his speech, highlighted Cambodia's unique geographical advantages and market potential in the ASEAN integration process, providing important reference for female entrepreneurs to seize regional development opportunities. Anna Nesterova, Chair of the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women in Business Alliance, delivered a speech on the theme of "ASEAN 2030: Building Borderless Enterprises in a Disruptive Era," looking ahead to new directions and possibilities for regional economic cooperation.
During the event, several high-level dialogues and thematic seminars were held concurrently. Participants focused on cutting-edge areas such as digital economic transformation, innovative investment cooperation, and regional coordinated development, exchanging experiences and building consensus on development. Representatives unanimously recognized the key role of female entrepreneurs in driving ASEAN economic growth and emphasized the urgency and importance of strengthening cross-border resource integration and enhancing women's entrepreneurial capacity building.
One of the key highlights of this forum was the AWEN Chair handover ceremony. With Cambodia formally transferring the chair to Laos, regional cooperation among ASEAN women entrepreneurs has entered a new phase. The newly elected AWEN Chair stated that she will continue to deepen multilateral cooperation and partnerships, empowering women entrepreneurs across multiple dimensions, including resource sharing, capacity building, and platform development, injecting lasting female power into ASEAN's economic prosperity.
The successful hosting of this AWEN forum not only demonstrates Cambodia's active leading role in promoting women's entrepreneurship in the region but also reaffirms the ASEAN countries' firm commitment to supporting women's participation in economic development and promoting sustainable and inclusive growth.
