In a significant development for Cambodia-Canada relations, the secretary of state of the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation of Cambodia, Chum Sounry, held a productive meeting with Alan Bowman, the director-general for southeast asia and oceania of the department of foreign affairs, trade and development of Canada. The discussions culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of bilateral consultations between the two foreign ministries.

This meeting, part of Bowman's working visit to Cambodia from February 19 to 21, 2024, focused on enhancing relations and cooperation within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, Cambodia’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a press release.

This MoU marks a significant milestone in the bilateral relations between Cambodia and Canada, setting the stage for deeper cooperation. Both parties discussed the agenda and agreed on a mutually convenient date for the inaugural session of the bilateral consultations, slated to take place within the year.

Chum Sounry expressed his satisfaction with the recent inauguration of the Canadian Consulate in Siem Reap on February 13. He is confident that this new development will further enhance trade and investment cooperation between the two nations.

On the ASEAN-Canada front, the secretary of state lauded Canada's elevation to a Strategic Partnership level with ASEAN. He pledged Cambodia's continued support to deepen ASEAN-Canada dialogue relations and emphasised the importance of concluding the ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement negotiations.

Following the discussions, Chum Sounry reassured the Canadian delegation of Cambodia’s readiness to work closely with relevant ministries and institutions to implement the decisions reached during their meeting. Notably, right after the talks, Chhouk Bunna, director-general of the general department of Europe, Americas, and Africa-Middle East, and Alan Bowman, signed the MoU, underscoring the commitment of both nations to elevate their diplomatic and cooperative efforts to new heights.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)

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