AKP Phnom Penh, July 21, 2026 --

Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia H.E. Sun Chanthol received here on July 20 the newly appointed Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the U.S. Embassy to Cambodia, Ms. Aleksandra Zittle.

In the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted growing cooperation between the two countries, including the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), which made Cambodia the first country in the region to conclude the pact aimed at improving business predictability and promoting freer trade.

He also referred to the Air Transport Agreement, or Open Skies Agreement, signed in Washington, D.C. on June 30, 2026.

The agreement is the first of its kind between the two countries and is intended to modernise civil aviation, facilitate direct flights and strengthen air cargo services.

For her part, Ms. Aleksandra Zittle thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for the warm welcome and said Cambodia had made remarkable socio-economic progress since her previous posting as Political-Economic Chief at the U.S. Embassy. She also commended the Royal Government and H.E. Sun Chanthol for maintaining peace, stability and resilient economic growth despite global uncertainties.

The meeting also covered bilateral trade, U.S. investment in Cambodia, the Funan Techo Integrated Water Management Project, efforts to combat online scams, and Cambodia's position on resolving border disputes with Thailand peacefully through international law and existing bilateral legal mechanisms.

Trade between Cambodia and the United States reached more than US$7.4 billion in the first half of 2026, up 31.4 percent year-on-year, according to the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia.

Cambodian exports to the U.S. rose 29.8 percent to US$5.6 billion, while imports from the United States increased 86.4 percent to US$307 million.

By Sum Kosal