Day: March 1, 2024

Cambodia’s trade with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries amounted to US$2.74 billion in January, a year-on-year increase of 21.2 percent, a report of the Ministry of Commerce showed on Friday.

The report said Cambodia’s total trade volume with other RCEP members accounted for 67.6 percent of the country’s total trade of US$4.05 billion in January this year.

Entering into force on Jan. 1, 2022, RCEP comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries including 10 ASEAN member states — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — and their five trading partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

RCEP has given a big impetus to Cambodia’s exports, contributing to the economic development of the country, said H.E. Sok Siphana, Senior Minister in Charge of International and Multilateral Trade and Economic Relations.

‘RCEP has given a big market access to Cambodia’s products and is the source of the co
untry’s sustainable economic development in years to come,’ he said.

Under the mega-regional pact, as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories will be eliminated over the next 20 years.

In 2023, the two-way trade between Cambodia and RCEP countries decreased by 5.07 percent to US$29.45 billion.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Ambassador of Canada to Cambodia H.E. Ms. Pink Kitnikone has sent a message to the Cambodian people, offering her deepest condolences on the passing of the Great Supreme Patriarch Tep Vong.

‘His departure at the age of 93 leaves a deep void in the hearts of all Buddhists, not only in Cambodia but also across the globe,’ she wrote in her letter dated Feb. 29.

According to the Bangkok-based ambassador, the Government of Canada had the honour to work with his venerable Samdech Preah Akka Maha Sangharajadhipati Tep Vong on various projects on dispute and conflict resolutions implemented by the Centre for Asia Pacific Initiatives (CAPI) and the University of Victoria’s Institute for Disputes Resolutions. The Canadian Government invited him to speak several on several occasions on Buddhist approaches to dispute resolution from 1996 to 1998.

‘In this time of private mourning for Samdech Preah Akka Moha Sangharajadhipati Tep Vong, the Government of Canada offers its sincerest sympathies,’ she added.

Venerable Te
p Vong passed away in Phnom Penh on Feb. 26 at the age of 93 years old due to natural causes. His body is kept at Ounalom pagoda located in Sangkat Chey Chumneas, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh for religious rituals until the cremation ceremony.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, is leading a high-level delegation to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations in Melbourne on Mar. 4-6, 2024.

The Premier and the First Lady, Lok Chumteav Dr. Pich Chanmony were seen off at Phnom Penh International Airport this evening by deputy prime ministers, senior ministers and many other government officials as well as representative of the Australian Embassy in Cambodia.

According to a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation made public this morning, the Special Summit is an opportune moment for Leaders to chart future directions together and further deepen relations through full and effective implementation of key priorities under the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Leaders are scheduled to adopt the Melbourne Declaration and the ASEAN-Australia Leaders’ Vision Statement, it pointed out.

On the s
idelines of the Summit, the source added, Samdech Thipadei will have bilateral talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and several ASEAN Leaders to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Samdech Moha Rathsapheathika Thipadei KHOUN Sudary, President of the National Assembly (NA) of Cambodia, will lead a high-level delegation to pay an official visit and attend the summit of first female speakers of parliament in France from Mar. 2 to 11, 2024, at the invitation of H.E. Ms. Yaël Braun-Privet, President of French NA.

According to an announcement of General Secretariat of Cambodian NA on Feb. 29, the above-mentioned summit will be attended by 25 female speakers of parliament to further boost proactively parliamentary diplomacy which focuses on women’s and girls’ issues, and promote women’s rights throughout the world in political careers of parliament members, as well as oppose all forms of violence against women, especially promote the leading roles of parliament to enhance gender equality through law proposal and adoption.

The summit has two roundtable forums: (1) equity in education, combating violence against women, and women’s health, and (2) gender equality in political sector and confir
ming of role model of women, said the source.

The Cambodian delegation is scheduled to meet their French counterparts, attend an exhibition dedicated to political rights of women in the world, and hold talks with Presidents of NA from Indonesia, Germany and Belgium, general delegate of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF), Cambodia-France Parliamentary Friendship Group, Social Affairs Committee of French NA, and Secretary General of French NA, it added.

The forthcoming visit of the Cambodian delegation not only contributes to promoting cordial bilateral relations between both countries’ legislative bodies and people, but is also a good opportunity to strengthen Cambodia’s parliamentary diplomatic sector with parliaments around the world, especially in enhancing gender equality and multilateralism principle to maintain peace, social stability and prosperity with sustainability and inclusiveness for the people, the announcement concluded.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Emirates Airlines will bring back its daily Phnom Penh service starting from May 1 via Singapore, boosting the airline’s Southeast Asian connectivity to/from Dubai, and linking two trade and leisure centres in the region, a press release issued on Feb. 29.

Emirates thanks the Cambodian and Singaporean authorities for their support in establishing this new route, said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer.

‘The resumption of our Phnom Penh services demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our Southeast Asian network, as we continue to create more opportunities for travelers to explore diverse and culturally rich destinations, and help businesses and exporters of all sizes establish stronger trade connections,’ Adnan Kazim said.

The service will be operated with a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Emirates’ flight EK348 will depart Dubai at 0230hrs and arrives in Singapore at 1405hrs. The flight will then depart Singapore at 1535hrs arriving in Phnom Penh at 1635hrs
.

Emirates’ return flight EK349 will leave Phnom Penh at 2050hrs and arrives in Singapore at 2350hrs. The flight will then depart Singapore at 0140hrs the next day arriving in Dubai at 0455hrs. All times are local.

Phnom Penh’s linked schedule with Singapore is conveniently timed, providing optimal connecting opportunities to and from multiple cities in France, UK, Germany, Switzerland and the United States.

Emirates SkyCargo will also offer cargo bellyhold capacity on the Boeing 777-300ER of more than 300 tonnes per week in and out of Phnom Penh. Main commodities exported from Phnom Penh includes textiles, pharmaceuticals, and other high-value commodities.

Emirates has been serving Cambodia with its flights to Phnom Penh since July 2017 before it discontinued service in 2021, the year the coronavirus pandemic hit hard of demand for air travel.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse