Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (left) and Prime Minister Hun Manet shake hands during their meeting on August 21 in Phnom Penh. STPM
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi reaffirmed her country's commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation with Cambodia, particularly in defence and other key areas, during a meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet on August 21 in Phnom Penh.
“Indonesia is ready to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in defence, trade and investment, food security and combating human trafficking,” said Marsudi in an August 22 post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
During the meeting, Manet expressed his gratitude to Indonesia for its contributions to peace in Cambodia during the late 1980s and early 1990s, as noted in Manet’s August 21 social media post.
“The prime minister and Marsudi praised the progress in all areas of relations between the two countries and discussed further strengthening and expanding cooperation in several key areas with potential, such as economy and trade, agriculture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, as well as national defence and security,” it added.
Manet emphasised that peace is a fundamental prerequisite for development, highlighting that it is not easily achieved. He assured that the government is dedicated to preserving peace, ensuring the country does not experience the losses it did in the past.
The post also quoted Marsudi, who noted that while initiating war may be easy, once it starts, the outcome and duration are unpredictable, as evidenced by ongoing conflicts in some countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sok Chenda Sophea and Marsudi co-chaired the fifth meeting of the two countries’ Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), held in Phnom Penh from August 20-21.
In his meeting with Marsudi, Manet described the discussions as successful and productive.
Marsudi mentioned in an August 21 X post that she and Chenda Sophea discussed the progress of cooperation in various sectors, including defence, transnational crime, the economy, people-to-people relations and food security.
“Indonesia and Cambodia also look forward to strengthening cooperation within the framework of ASEAN and in addressing current geopolitical challenges, including efforts to achieve peace in Myanmar and Palestine,” she said.
Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Institute for International Studies, highlighted that Indonesia played a crucial role in building peace in Cambodia in the late 1980s, significantly contributing to the end of the Cambodian civil war.
He added that the two countries engage in extensive cooperation under the JCBC, which serves as a roadmap for their partnership.
He noted that Cambodia and Indonesia share a common vision and goal of maintaining stability, security and prosperity in the region through bilateral cooperation and within the ASEAN framework.
Mengdavid stressed that this strong relationship has enabled the two countries to expand their cooperation, particularly in military and regional security areas, including counterterrorism and extremism.
“Increasing investment from Indonesia, especially in the Halal food sector, will benefit both countries. Cambodia has a large Muslim population, which provides a valuable resource for developing Halal food production skills and creating jobs for Cambodians,” he said.
“Within the ASEAN framework, Cambodia and Indonesia are active partners, playing a significant role in implementing ASEAN initiatives across the three pillars. They also act as advisers, promoting multilateralism and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, as well as addressing regional issues,” he added.
