Cambodia, EU Discuss Border Dispute, Myanmar Crisis and Regional Cooperation
Cambodia, EU Discuss Border Dispute, Myanmar Crisis and Regional Cooperation
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 8, 2026 — Cambodia and the European Union have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation across a wide range of areas, including economic development, trade, investment, infrastructure, education and security.
The discussions took place on Tuesday morning, September 8, 2026, when Dr Chhiv Yiseang, Chairman of the Cambodian Senate’s Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Information and Director of the Cabinet of Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen, received EU Ambassador to Cambodia Igor Driesmans at the Senate.
During the meeting, the two sides expressed strong optimism about progress in Cambodia-EU relations and highlighted the importance of further strengthening their partnership to support Cambodia’s development goals for 2030 and 2050.
Areas identified for closer cooperation included economic development, trade and investment, infrastructure development, clean water, human-resource development, culture, education and security.
The two sides also held an in-depth exchange on promoting parliamentary diplomacy and the EU’s participation in the Francophonie Summit, which Cambodia is scheduled to host.
The discussions further covered multilateral cooperation within the regional framework, particularly ASEAN-EU relations, as well as recent developments in the region and around the world.
The Cambodia-Thailand border dispute was among the regional issues discussed. According to the Cambodian side, Chhiv Yiseang reiterated Cambodia’s clear position in favour of resolving the border issue through peaceful mechanisms.
The two sides also exchanged views on developments surrounding the crisis in Myanmar, adding another regional issue to the broader Cambodia-EU discussions.
The meeting comes amid continued efforts by Cambodia and the EU to deepen engagement through political dialogue, economic cooperation and multilateral frameworks. EU Ambassador Igor Driesmans has previously highlighted the EU’s engagement with Cambodia on regional and humanitarian issues.
The discussions at the Senate therefore underscored the role of parliamentary diplomacy alongside government-to-government engagement in advancing Cambodia-EU relations and addressing regional challenges.
