Khmer Accountants Step Up Their Game

Accounting standards in Cambodia continue to improve as the highest ever intake of Khmer students pass global body for professional accountants ACCA exams. There are already more than 91 Cambodian accountants who have completed the ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) qualifications, meaning they are of an equal standard to members working across the world, such as in the UK, America and Australia. Annually, there are two sets of exams and the latest batch saw a total of 13 people pass - the highest number in the country. Senaka Fernando, Head of ACCA Cambodia, says, 

"This is the best results we've ever had in Cambodia, which shows the quality of students is really rising. The accounting profession has really come a long way from when I came here in 1994 when there were no qualified accountants."

To become a member of ACCA, which boasts 426,000 students and 162,000 members across 173 countries, members must pass 14 exams, have a minimum of three years work experience and complete a series of modules in subjects such as morals and ethics. Checking to see if an accountant is accredited is a must when a new business lands in the country and is searching for one, Fernando adds. 

"The qualification they have is the main thing you should look for, then the practical experience," he says. "What's really important is to do a background check and get references. There have been a few instances where people haven't behaved in a moral or ethical way. If they don't behave ethically and they're a member, it can be reported to ACCA and they will investigate."

The accounting profession in Cambodia is regulated by the National Accounting Council, which falls under the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The local body is the Kampuchea Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Auditors. ACCA was founded in 1904 and is the largest global body for professional accountants.

For more information on ACCA, visit www.accaglobal.com