Cambodia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on June 8 in Phnom Penh, with the foreign ministers of both nations hoping the agreement will elevate bilateral relations to new heights.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s June 8 press statement said that after signing of the agreement, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn and Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade met for talk to strengthen bilateral relation between the two countries.

The ministry said both sides expressed deep satisfaction at the flourishing bilateral relationship and shared optimism at the potential for a further expansion of exchanges between the two nations.

They also reviewed opportunities in trade, investment, tourism, connectivity, energy, agriculture, logistics and human resources.

“They noted that the bilateral trade volume has increased and expressed confidence that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Cambodia and the UAE signed today would significantly contribute to elevating the bilateral relationship to new heights,” the ministry said.

During the meeting, Al Zeyoudi thanked Cambodia’s for its chairmanship of ASEAN in 2022, which enabled the accession of his country to the Treaty on Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). He also offered his gratitude to the Kingdom for its support of the UAE as an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner.