Sokhonn to talk Covid with UK
FOREIGN Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Prak Sokhonn will meet with ASEAN leaders and a UK delegation on Wednesday to discuss dealing with Covid-19.
ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers and British Ministers will discuss economic recovery plans and ways to enhance relations and cooperation in all areas of common interest, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release.
“The video conference will be a step towards setting future directions for promoting ASEAN-UK relations and cooperation in the context of global challenges and Britain’s exit from the EU.
“The UK and ASEAN have been partners for more than 40 years and worked together on political, security, economic, social and cultural matters,” the press release said.
It said after Brexit, the UK wants to become dialogue partners with ASEAN, as well as the US, China, Canada and Japan to establish deeper relationships with these countries and open up new opportunities in business, education, science and security.
For bilateral business cooperation between Cambodia and the UK, both countries are looking at the possibility of creating a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
Trade volume between the nations had steadily increased to $1.05 billion in 2019. Cambodian exports including garments, footwear, bicycles and rice reached $978 million.
In terms of Covid-19, the Ministry of Health announced that Cambodia has been recognised by the World Health Organisation as one of the few countries that successfully controlled the spread of Covid-19 cases.