Khuon Phon Rattanak (right) meets with Saudi Arabian ambassador to Cambodia Mohammed Ismaeil A. Dahlwy, on November 14. mfaic
Following a series of high-level meetings, Cambodia and Saudi Arabia have committed to fostering cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, tourism and education, with the latter showing a strong will to work closely with Cambodia to deepen bilateral relations.
Khuon Phon Rattanak, secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met with Saudi ambassador to Cambodia Mohammed Ismaeil A. Dahlwy on November 14, at the ministry headquarters.
The ministry press release explained that the two sides enjoyed a candid exchange of views on existing bilateral relations and committed to fostering deeper cooperation.
The release added that they also shared views on the need to work toward establishing further political consultation between their respective foreign ministries. They proposed a Joint Economic Commission, which would serve as an important platform for exploring new ways to facilitate and foster trade and economic cooperation.
“Both sides stressed their strong commitment to continue to enhance cooperation, both through bilateral and multilateral frameworks. They also took the opportunity to exchange views on current regional and international developments in the region and beyond,” it continued.
During the meeting, Dahlwy also expressed his strong desire to work closely with the foreign ministry and other Cambodian institutions to build upon the momentum from the recent bilateral meeting of the leaders of the two Kingdoms.
Rattanak also reiterated Cambodia’s readiness to provide all necessary support for next year’s planned opening of a Saudi embassy in Phnom Penh.
Yang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said on November 15 that he believed that the relationship between the two nations appeared different than it had under previous governments.
He explained that both sides’ stances appeared to focus on promoting diplomacy and trade, which could provide a Cambodian foreign policy gateway towards the Middle East, and beyond Europe, Asia and Africa.
“It is important to consider that once we have expanded cooperation into a new area, outside of the geopolitical competition between superpowers, we will see increased economic, political and diplomatic potential,” he added.
One day earlier, Dahlwy held a working meeting with Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport.
According to an education ministry social media post, the Saudi ambassador expressed his willingness to strengthen educational ties between the two Kingdoms.
“Saudi Arabia will continue to provide information on various scholarships that are available to Cambodian students who want to pursue their studies in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Chuon Naron expressed his deep gratitude for the cooperation of the Middle Eastern nation, which has contributed to the development of Cambodia’s human resources in the past.
“The education ministry will be happy to continue to strengthen and expand our cooperation and achieve many more goals, especially in the field of education,” he said.
Kong Samneang, president of the Federation of Education Services, said on November 14 that if Saudi Arabia choose to expand cooperation in the field of the private education sector, this would be advantageous, as it is well known how strong the Saudi education system is.
“The stronger a country is, the more advanced its education system. Saudi Araba is a country that has developed a consistent, high-quality curriculum,” he added.
“If this project materialises, it will provide a lot of benefits to the Cambodian people. I also call for any scholarships to be distributed transparently. That way, students from both urban and rural areas will get the opportunity to learn from a developed country and become valuable human resources,” he continued.
Prime Minister Hun Manet and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman met on October 20, on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Saudi Arabia, to discuss fostering bilateral cooperation.
During the meeting, Manet expressed his satisfaction with developments of relations between Cambodia and Saudi Arabia. He suggested that both sides examine the possibility of creating a special agreement, especially a visa waiver agreement for diplomats and formal passport holders.
