PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Monday that the kingdom and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have untapped potential for economic and trade cooperation.
He made the remarks during a meeting with UAE Ambassador to Cambodia Obaid Saeed Al Dhaheri in Phnom Penh, said a news release from the prime minister's spokesperson unit.
The prime minister expressed his satisfaction with and highly valued the positive momentum in bilateral relations, particularly in the tourism sector, as evidenced by the increase in direct flights from the UAE to Cambodia.
"He emphasized the untapped potential for cooperation across various sectors and underscored Cambodia's objective to develop its halal industry, aiming to enhance the export of halal products to Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE," the news release said.
Hun Manet encouraged the ambassador to continue engaging with relevant Cambodian ministries and institutions to ensure the implementation of existing agreements, with the aim to transform action plans into practical results.
For his part, Al Dhaheri expressed his high appreciation for the progress in UAE-Cambodia bilateral relations.
He said a delegation from the UAE Chamber of Commerce plans a visit to Cambodia to discuss organizing trade fairs aimed at promoting investment and trade between the two nations.
The ambassador added that the UAE looks forward to further enhancing bilateral cooperation with Cambodia in the areas of economic development, trade, investment, education, logistics, technology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, among others.
Cambodia and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in June 2023, which entered into force in January 2024.
The agreement has served as a catalyst to increase and diversify bilateral trade by substantially eliminating tariffs, reducing non-tariff trade barriers and promoting trade in goods, services, and investment. - Xinhua
