On February 20, 2024, a significant dialogue took place between His Excellency CHUM Sounry, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, and His Excellency ALAN Bowman, Director-General for Southeast Asia and Oceania at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada. This meeting occurred during Bowman’s official visit to Cambodia, which lasted from February 19 to 21, 2024. The discussions focused on enhancing the relationship and collaboration between the two nations across various platforms.
The Secretary of State greeted the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing Bilateral Consultations between the two foreign ministries as a significant advancement in the diplomatic ties between Cambodia and Canada. He viewed the MoU as a crucial move towards elevating the cooperation between the two countries to higher levels. The talks also covered the scheduling and content planning for the inaugural session of the bilateral consultations, anticipated to occur within the year.
Additionally, the Secretary of State expressed gratitude towards Canada for its contribution to Cambodia’s economic development, highlighting areas such as investment, trade, education, demining, and healthcare.
The dialogue also acknowledged the notable increase in Canadian tourists visiting Cambodia in 2023, doubling the numbers from the previous year. The Secretary of State praised the recent opening of the Canadian Consulate in Siem Reap on February 13 and anticipated that this development would further enhance cooperation in tourism, trade, and investment between Cambodia and Canada.
Regarding the ASEAN-Canada relationship, the Secretary of State commemorated Canada’s recent elevation to a Strategic Partnership with ASEAN and assured Cambodia’s support in deepening the dialogue relations between ASEAN and Canada, including efforts towards concluding the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Secretary of State CHUM Sounry reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to working closely with relevant ministries and institutions to actualize the agreed-upon initiatives.
Following the discussions, an MoU formalizing the bilateral consultations was signed by His Excellency CHHOUK Bunna, Director-General of the General Department of Europe, Americas, and Africa-Middle East, and His Excellency ALAN Bowman, marking a new chapter in Cambodia-Canada diplomatic relations.
Source: MFAIC
