Cambodia Pledges Deeper Economic Ties with UK, Citing Strong Bilateral Trade Growth Ahead of 2026 Forum

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA –  Cambodia is firmly committed to deepening its economic cooperation with the United Kingdom, leveraging the forthcoming Third Cambodia-UK Joint Trade and Investment Forum (JTIF), scheduled for early 2026, as a pivotal platform for expansion.

The commitment was reaffirmed by H.E. Cham Nimul, Minister of Commerce, during her address at the 22nd anniversary celebration of Unilever (Cambodia) Limited in the capital on Friday. Attended by British Ambassador to Cambodia, Dominic Williams, and other dignitaries, the Minister emphasized that the JTIF would be crucial for exploring new opportunities across several high-potential sectors.

“Through the third Cambodia-UK Joint Trade and Investment Forum (JTIF) to be held in early 2026, the two sides will continue to explore the possibility of expanding cooperation in many areas, such as investment financing for infrastructure projects, agricultural trade, and export facilitation.” Minister highlighted.

Her excellency also recognized the excellent progress in economic relations between the two nations. Official data underscores this success, showing that bilateral trade between Cambodia and the UK rose by 7.1 percent to $911 million between January and October this year. Notably, Cambodia’s exports to the UK reached $869 million, marking a robust 7.6 percent year-on-year increase.

The JTIF, a joint initiative launched in May 2023, is designed to strengthen these ties by serving as a key platform for government and private sector engagement. Discussions often center on critical themes, including green growth, investment policy, and regional trade integration.

The strengthening partnership follows the recent official visit of the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Matt Western MP, who reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting Cambodia’s sustainable economic development. His discussions with high-ranking officials focused on advancing bilateral cooperation toward inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth, including the development of green Special Economic Zones and technical cooperation under the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP).

H.E. Cham Nimul concluded by emphasizing Cambodia’s dedication to open markets and a multilateral trading system: “Cambodia continues to diversify its economy and integrate its economy regionally and globally, adhering to the principles of a multilateral trading system based on the rule of law and open markets, which provides certainty, predictability and ensures equality without discrimination between foreign and domestic investors.”