In a statement released on 22 Aug 2024, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced the outcome of the 5th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) between Cambodia and Indonesia. The meeting, co-chaired by His Excellency SOK Chenda Sophea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Her Excellency Retno L.P. Marsudi, Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs, took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The JCBC Meeting aimed to review the overall progress made since the last meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, and discussed key areas of cooperation between the two nations. Both sides expressed great satisfaction with the progress made, particularly in the areas of political cooperation, defense and security cooperation, economic cooperation, and cultural exchanges.
Political Cooperation and Defense and Security Cooperation
The Ministers stressed the importance of maintaining frequent interactions between the executive and legislative bodies of the two countries at all levels. They also highlighted the strategic significance of exchanges among top leaders, including recent meetings between Samdech Thipadei Prime Minister HUN Manet and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
In terms of defense and security cooperation, the Ministers highly appreciated and agreed to continue ongoing productive engagements, including a joint exercise between the two countries from 16 to 19 Aug 2024. They reaffirmed their commitment to enhance cooperation in fighting transnational crimes, particularly human trafficking, by fully implementing relevant instruments under bilateral and ASEAN frameworks.
Economic Cooperation and Cultural Exchanges
The Meeting also noted with satisfaction the steady growth of bilateral trade, which exceeded USD 1 billion in 2023. The Ministers agreed to expedite the conclusion of a bilateral MoU on Rice Trade and emphasized the importance of food security. They affirmed commitment to implement existing MoUs on Agricultural Cooperation and SMEs.
To promote economic and cultural exchanges, both sides concurred to endeavour for more direct flights between tourist cities, conclude an MOU on Cultural Cooperation, renew Sister-Province cooperation between Siem Reap and Central Java, and establish a Sister City relationship between Phnom Penh and West Sumatra.
Investment Promotion and Regional Cooperation
The Meeting also agreed to expand cooperation between the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Indonesian Ministry of Investment. The Indonesian company Perum BULOG expressed interest in developing agricultural businesses, including rice mills and warehouses.
The Meeting touched on other key areas of cooperation, including energy, ICT, health, river basin management, industrial cooperation, digitalization, and labor and vocational training. Both sides emphasized the importance of peace for socio-economic development and underscored their resolve to strengthen ASEAN centrality in engagement with regional and international issues.
Conclusion
The 5th JCBC Meeting concluded with the signing of the Agreed Minutes. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Indonesia in 2026. This strengthened bilateral cooperation reflects Cambodia’s commitment to fostering strong relationships with its neighbors and promoting regional stability and economic growth.