Morocco and Cambodia agree to give a new impetus to their bilateral relations

Morocco and Cambodia agreed to undertake a series of actions and initiatives to give a new dimension and impetus to relations between the two countries.

In a joint statement issued after their talks, Monday in Rabat, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad, Nasser Bourita, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Prak Sokhonn, welcomed the excellent relations between the two countries at the highest level, and marked by friendship, mutual respect, consultation and coordination on issues of common interest.

Bourita hailed the remarkable progress made in Cambodia under the High Leadership of King Norodom Sihamoni, praising the Cambodian government led by Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, for the role it has played in ensuring decades of peace, stability and continuous development of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The two sides welcomed in this regard the meeting held on January 25, 2022 by video conference at the ministerial level, as well as the third session of the Moroccan-Cambodian virtual political consultations held on May 18 of the same year at the level of directors. In this regard, they stressed the importance of advancing the bilateral political-diplomatic dialogue.

They also discussed, in a substantial way, the ways and means to raise this bilateral dialogue to the level of the expectations of the political leadership and the aspirations of the peoples of the two friendly countries, underlines the joint communiqué.

The two ministers stressed the need to promote trade and investment flows and develop cultural and scientific exchanges between Morocco and Cambodia, capitalizing on their respective privileged positions in the regions of Africa and Southeast Asia.

Bourita and Sokhonn called for the encouragement of business communities of both countries to intensify trade and investment.

The two officials also agreed on the importance of organizing, in the near future, a business forum in Morocco or Cambodia, which will provide an opportunity for public and private operators of both countries to learn more about the economic potential and identify sectoral opportunities on both sides.

In addition, the two sides stressed the convergence of views of Morocco and Cambodia on a number of regional and international issues and renewed their firm commitment to promote multilateralism and contribute to the global agenda for peace, security and development.

Mr. Bourita did not fail to welcome the success of the Cambodian chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022, highlighting the importance of the results of all the Summits and related meetings held in Cambodia throughout the last year.

Regarding Morocco’s application for the title of Sectoral Dialogue Partner (SDP) of ASEAN, Mr. Sokhonn expressed to his Moroccan counterpart the full support of his country to this Moroccan application, in compliance with the process and consensus of ASEAN.

The two ministers also welcomed the mutual votes and support within international organizations.

In this regard, Mr. Bourita reiterated the support of Morocco to the application of the Kingdom of Cambodia as an observer member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Similarly, and given the friendly relations between the two kingdoms and the leadership and commitment of Morocco in maintaining international security, Mr. Sokhonn expressed the support of Cambodia to the candidacy of Morocco for a seat as a non-permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations, for the period 2028-2029.

Regarding parliamentary diplomacy, the two ministers welcomed the exchanges between the Moroccan Parliament and the National Assembly of Cambodia, particularly at the bilateral and regional levels, as well as within the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and at the multilateral level.

They acknowledged the positive cooperation between the two parliaments and reaffirmed their commitment to uphold multilateralism based on international laws and to work closely together to strengthen the NAM parliamentary network to protect, preserve and promote peace and sustainable development.