Cambodia and Rwanda Agree to Strengthen and Expand Bilateral Cooperation

On the afternoon of 13 November 2026, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, held bilateral talks with His Excellency Paul KAGAME, President of the Republic of Rwanda, at the Peace Palace, on the occasion of His Excellency the President’s State Visit to Cambodia and participation in the 20th Francophonie Summit, taking place in Phnom Penh from 13 to 16 November 2026.

During the meeting, the President of Rwanda expressed his deep gratitude to the Royal Government for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegations, as well as to the Cambodian people for their warm reception. He also commended Cambodia’s rapid development and progress during its period of socio-economic restoration and reconstruction following the genocidal regime of Pol Pot, a dark chapter in history mirrored by Rwanda’s own painful past. Building on more than two decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries, His Excellency he President expressed confidence that this State Visit and his delegation’s participation in the 20th Francophonie Summit would serve as catalysts for further elevating Rwanda–Cambodia relations. He also reaffirmed his commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, tourism and other areas with high potential, for the mutual benefit of the peoples of both countries.

In response, Samdech Thipadei warmly welcomed His Excellency the President of Rwanda and his delegation on the occasion of their State Visit and participation in the 20th Francophonie Summit in Cambodia. He expressed confidence that the visit would make a significant contribution to further strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation. Samdech Thipadei also expressed satisfaction with the steady progress in the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Within the bilateral framework, both leaders agreed to continue exploring opportunities in potential sectors and to increase high-level reciprocal visits to further strengthen ties. The two leaders highlighted the complementary nature of their respective countries, noting that Rwanda could serve as a gateway for Cambodian goods to enter African markets, while Cambodia could act as a gateway for Rwandan goods to access ASEAN and wider Asian markets. Furthermore, within regional and global frameworks, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance cooperation in combating transnational crime, online scams and other related threats. They also reaffirmed their commitment to promoting multilateralism through the United Nations (UN), the Non-Aligned Movement and the Francophonie, with a view to fostering mutual understanding and strengthening cooperation towards achieving peace, stability and shared prosperity.

Following the bilateral talks, Samdech Thipadei and His Excellency the President presided over and witnessed the signing ceremony of three key bilateral documents:
1-Memorandum of Understanding between the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
2-Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism.
3-Air Services Agreement.

(Unofficial Translation)