Day: September 14, 2022

The Kingdom of Cambodia has expressed its commitment to host the secretariat of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings in Siem Reap provincial city this morning, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia and Chair of ASEAN for 2022, laid stress on the need to maximise the benefits of RCEP, which was generally entered into force on Jan. 1, 2022, and existing ASEAN plus one agreement with further upgrading in order to promote the regional economic growth.
Regarding maximising the benefit of RCEP agreement, he said, member states should make the utmost effort in implementing commitments and continue the negotiations on opening up the markets, aimed to attract other big economies to participate in this agreement. In this regard, this agreement should have its independent and authoritative secretariat that plays a key role in coordinating, promoting, and monitoring the implementation of this agreement.
“Cambodia remains interested, and offers all possibilities and concessions to host this secretariat,” the Prime Minister underlined.
Besides, Samdech Techo Hun Sen called on ASEAN to devote more attention is to timely respond to the new trends in global trade architecture. Certainly, new issues include: rising oil price crisis, high inflation rate, environment, climate change, pandemics, etc. has triggered the trend of regional and global trade to move toward the new normal; however, this does not mean that all these challenges require countries across the world to use them as protectionism tool, create trade barriers, and disrupt the regional and global supply chains, or establish law and international agreements that serve its own interests or small group of their allies, he explained.
“In this regard, ASEAN should continue to work in unity to coordinate and intensify the establishment of global framework for international trade which is transparent, non-discriminatory and serve the interest of all countries,” he said.
On the other hand, Samdech Techo Hun Sen mentioned once again about Cambodia’s initiative to establish ASEAN Green Deal, which, he believed, will enable the ASEAN region to gradually transform toward green future with sustainability, resiliency, efficient utilisation of resource, and economic competitiveness.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Cambodia will work with Vietnam to preserve and develop the relationship between the two countries to new heights and pass it down to future generations.
The commitment was made by Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, while paying a courtesy call on H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), in Hanoi, Vietnam on Sept. 13, reported Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
Samdech Heng Samrin also informed the host about the recent situation in Cambodia, especially the successful organisation of the local election for fifth tenure, and the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP)’s great victory in the election.
The Cambodian NA president also briefed H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong on the results of the talks between him and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman H.E. Vuong Dinh Hue within the framework of the visit.
For his part, the CPV general secretary affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always support the cause of national construction and development of Cambodia, thanked the Kingdom for the valuable support that the country has given to Vietnam, and highlighted the traditional relations of Vietnam and Cambodia as two close neighbours and brothers who have stood side by side in the cause of national liberation and reunification in the past as well as in national construction and development today.
H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong also underscored the importance of the relationship between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He wished that the three countries work together to preserve and foster the development of their relationship for the prosperity of each country, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, and H.E. Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam expressed their satisfaction of the stable development of the two countries’ ties during their meeting in Hanoi on Sept. 13.
According to Vietnam News Agency, the two sides noted that leaders of Vietnam and Cambodia have maintained frequent meetings and discussions while bilateral cooperation mechanisms have continued to prove effective, helping sustain cooperation momentum in various fields.
Notably, despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts over the last two years, economic partnership has generated encouraging outcomes. Bilateral trade approximated US$10 billion in 2021 and surpassed US$7 billion USD in the first seven months of 2022, up 17.8 percent year on year. Vietnam currently has 188 valid investment projects worth US$2.8 billion in Cambodia, ranking first among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and fifth among all foreign direct investors in there.
Both sides highly valued the coordination to successfully organise many meaningful activities in the Vietnam – Cambodia Friendship Year 2022, especially the June 20 ceremony chaired by the two PMs marking 45 years since the start of Samdech Techo Hun Sen’s journey to topple the Pol Pot genocidal regime and the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic ties on June 24.
They agreed to maintain frequent high-level meetings via all channels to unceasingly promote the trustworthy political relationship. Meanwhile, legislative and executive bodies of Vietnam and Cambodia will continue bringing into play their role in fostering bilateral relations, particularly in creating favourable legal corridors for all-faceted cooperation, and monitoring and promoting ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses’ implementation of signed agreements.
The two sides also agreed to work together to effectively carry out the deals and plans on defence – security cooperation, prevent cross-border crimes, and conduct border demarcation and marker planting on the remaining 16 percent of their borderline so as to build a land border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
They underscored the importance of enhancing economic connectivity, especially in transport, telecommunications, and finance – banking, to create a new impulse for partnerships in other spheres like trade, investment, energy, tourism, education – training, and locality-to-locality ties.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

President of the Cambodian National Assembly, Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, met a delegation of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association (VCFA), headed by its president H.E. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, in Hanoi, Vietnam on Sept. 13.
According to Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Samdech Heng Samrin appreciated the role and contributions of the VCFA and Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association, saying that they act as a bridge to further promote cooperation and people-to-people exchange of both countries.
The Cambodian NA president expressed his pleasure at the growing traditional ties and collaboration, and congratulated the Party, State and people of Vietnam on their achievements in the cause of national construction and development.
According to Samdech Heng Samrin, in the context that the world has faced crises and instability, the role of the two friendship associations is increasingly important in promoting solidarity and mutual support to jointly address the challenges that will leave an impact on the socio-economic development of each country.
He affirmed that Cambodia’s parliament will always support cooperation and mutual assistance activities between the two friendship associations, contributing to the socio-economic development of the two countries, as well as further promoting their ties.
For her part, VCFA President H.E. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, who is also head of the National Assembly Standing Committee’s Board for Deputy Affairs, said the VCFA will make efforts together with the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association to successfully carry out the bilateral cooperation agreement for the 2022-2027 period.
She also briefed Samdech Heng Samrin about the association’s activities, including the dissemination of information on the traditional friendship between the two countries, the organisation of activities celebrating the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year as well as preparation for people-to-people exchange in November.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

The United States government has funded a new oxygen plant in Preah Vihear province, northern Cambodia which will benefit close to 300,000 people.
According to a press release of the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh issued this morning, the facility, funded through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is located at the 16 Makara Provincial Hospital, and was developed in partnership with UNICEF and the Cambodian Ministry of Health.
“This plant will meet the oxygen needs for critical services such as COVID-19 case management, surveys, and intensive care,” said U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. W. Patrick Murphy. “It is one component of more than US$16 million in U.S. government support to Cambodia’s pandemic response and a strong example of the ties that bind our two nations.”
The oxygen plant is the first of its kind in the province. 16 Makara Provincial Hospital serves seven districts with an approximate population of 284,000 people. In addition to providing critical support for the care of COVID-19 patients, a reliable supply of oxygen will be of great benefit to the communities that depend on the hospital’s services, the press release pointed out.
“Oxygen can be the difference between life and death. That’s why UNICEF is working with the Royal Government of Cambodia to improve oxygen supply and infrastructure, while building the capacity of health workers to provide it,” said Ms. Foroogh Foyouzat, UNICEF’s Representative in Cambodia. “We are very grateful to the United States, and specifically USAID, for supporting this lifesaving new oxygen plant which will improve today’s health outcomes and build resilience to tomorrow’s challenges.”
The oxygen plant package consists of a 300 litres-per-minute (LPM) medical oxygen generator with a cylinder-filling station and connection to the hospital oxygen pipeline. As a result of this project, the hospital no longer needs to purchase oxygen cylinders from private suppliers or send its oxygen cylinders to distant locations for refilling. This will therefore save time and money while reducing the potential for shortages of medical oxygen that jeopardise patient treatment, the press release underlined.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press