In a statement released on 31 May 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced the conclusion of a productive official visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs SOK Chenda Sophea to the Republic of Turkiye. This marks His Excellency’s first official visit outside Asia, highlighting Cambodia’s growing engagement in regional diplomacy.
During his two-day trip, which concluded on 29 May 2024, Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea engaged in productive discussions with His Excellency Hakan FIDAN, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also met with His Excellency Dr. Numan KURTULMUS, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, and His Excellency Cevdet YILMAZ, the Turkish Vice President.
The visit aimed to strengthen bilateral relations between Cambodia and Turkiye, focusing on areas such as trade, investment, education, food processing, green energy development, and tourism. Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea emphasized the need for direct flights between the two countries, with Turkiye expected to encourage Turkish Airlines to establish direct flights to Cambodia.
“We view Cambodia as part of a vast Southeast Asian market of more than 650 million people, connected by a network of regional and bilateral trade agreements,” Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea said. These include the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Cambodia’s free trade agreements with China and the Republic of Korea.
The two countries shared the view that Turkiye’s Asia Anew Initiative for economic and trade cooperation with Asian partners aligns with Cambodia’s priorities and cooperation under the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). They committed to further consolidating and expanding cooperation in regional and global forums, and reached common ground on major international crises.
Key Takeaways:
- Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea concluded a two-day official visit to Turkiye, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties.
- The visit aimed to promote trade, investment, education, food processing, green energy development, and tourism between the two countries.
- Cambodia views itself as part of a vast Southeast Asian market, connected by regional and bilateral trade agreements.
- Turkiye is expected to encourage Turkish Airlines to establish direct flights to Cambodia.
In addition to official discussions, Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea engaged with students and members of the Cambodian community in Istanbul on 27 May. The official visit concluded in Ankara on 29 May with the signing of five documents on cooperation in areas such as halal accreditation, media and communications, higher education, and forestry.
The productive visit to Turkiye underscores Cambodia’s commitment to regional cooperation and diplomacy, highlighting its growing role in Southeast Asian affairs.