Cambodia and the United Kingdom have pledged to deepen their economic partnership at the third Joint Trade and Investment Forum (JTIF), held in Phnom Penh this week. The one‑day event focused on regulatory cooperation, market access, and investment opportunities as Cambodia prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2029.

Officials from both sides emphasised the importance of frameworks such as the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which currently grants Cambodia duty‑free and quota‑free access to the British market. These benefits will continue until 2032, with Cambodia expected to transition to the “Enhanced” tier, maintaining tariff‑free access for many goods.

Bilateral trade between the two nations rose six percent in 2025 to $1.07 billion, with Cambodian exports to the UK accounting for nearly $1 billion. Imports from Britain stood at $55 million, underscoring the imbalance but also the potential for growth.

Commerce Minister Cham Nimul described the forum as a flagship platform for advancing trade and investment, bringing together policymakers, regulators, and business leaders. She noted that the JTIF has already fostered progress in areas such as export facilitation, taxation, and skills development, while encouraging collaboration across sectors including finance, manufacturing, agri‑processing, and technology.

Rhiannon Harries, the UK’s Deputy Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific, highlighted the wider regional context, pointing to Britain’s £57 billion annual trade relationship with Southeast Asia. She said the forum reflects London’s commitment as ASEAN’s newest Dialogue Partner and its determination to build sustainable economic ties.

British Ambassador Dominic Williams MBE echoed this sentiment, stressing that both countries are open, export‑oriented economies that value the international rules‑based trading system. He added that the partnership aims to deliver prosperity and employment for people in both nations.

The forum comes as Cambodia seeks membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‑Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), signalling its ambition to integrate further into global trade networks. For the UK, the JTIF represents not only a strengthening of bilateral ties but also a strategic foothold in a region of growing economic importance.

With Cambodia’s LDC graduation on the horizon, both sides see the forum as a crucial step in ensuring that trade and investment continue to flourish in the years ahead.

-2026-01-30

On 1/30/2026 at 9:26 AM, geovalin said:

Imports from Britain stood at $55 million, underscoring the imbalance but also the potential for growth.

Very much so.

With land and sea bordersfrom Thailand closed. and the ban and boycott on Thai products and produce in Cambodia, this growth will increase. We are already seeing a much more comprehensive range of UK non-perishable food and drink products on our supemarket shelves!

The Phnom Penh Autonomous Container Port is currently being enlarged ;-

PPAP plans to further develop the fourth phase of port infrastructure expansion at Container Terminal LM17 in order to respond to the rapid growth of container throughput every year. Phase IV will occupy an area of 11,4 hectares, which will rise the total capacity of Container Terminal LM17 to 900,000 TEUs per year by 2027.

https://ppap.com.kh/en/development-plans/