United States Lifts Arms Embargo on Cambodia

United States Lifts Arms Embargo on Cambodia

The United States has announced the lifting of its four-year arms embargo on Cambodia, following the first-ever meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Manet. The White House confirmed that joint military exercises between the two nations—suspended for several years—will also resume, while Washington plans to increase the number of Cambodian students admitted to U.S. military academies.

Prime Minister Hun Manet and President Trump met on October 26 in Kuala Lumpur, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit and related meetings held from October 26–28, which gathered world leaders to discuss regional and global issues.

In addition to signing agreements on peace cooperation and double taxation avoidance, the two leaders agreed to create new opportunities for strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in defense cooperation and the fight against cybercrime.

According to a summary released by the White House on October 26 regarding the Malaysia meetings, the decision to lift the arms embargo reflects Cambodia’s continued efforts to uphold peace and security. Both countries have also agreed to resume the joint defense exercise “Angkor Sentinel”, which has been on hold since 2017.

“Furthermore, the United States will expand scholarship and training opportunities for Cambodian military officers at U.S. military institutions such as West Point, the Air Force Academy, and other defense colleges,” the statement added.

Beyond defense ties, the United States and Cambodia also agreed to enhance cooperation in combating transnational organized crimes, including drug trafficking and cyber scam networks. The White House emphasized that such criminal organizations have collectively defrauded vulnerable U.S. citizens of over USD 10 billion annually.