AKP Phnom Penh, October 12, 2026 --

Exploring new business opportunities is one of the main agendas during the bilateral talk between Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet and Azerbaijani President H.E. Ilham Aliyev in Baku during his official visit to Azerbaijan.

Speaking at a joint press conference held following their bilateral meeting on Oct. 12, H.E. Ilham Aliyev said that despite the two countries’ friendly political relations and longstanding partnership, their trade and economic ties remained modest. He stressed the need to translate strong diplomatic relations into tangible economic cooperation.

“In the bilateral talk, we also focused on what we can do on trade and investment track. We discussed largely these opportunities and established a joint working group, which will concentrate on practical aspects of our trade and investment cooperation,” he underlined.

There are a lot of opportunities that both nations can do together, the only obstacle could be distance, but in today's world it is not a big problem, he added.

H.E. Ilham Aliyev said geographical distance and limited information about each other’s markets should not prevent closer economic engagement. He expressed hope that a business forum bringing together companies from Cambodia and Azerbaijan would help businesses better understand each country’s economic priorities, investment potential and commercial opportunities.

Potential areas of cooperation include industrial production, joint manufacturing, tourism, education, transportation and digital transformation. Both sides also highlighted the importance of encouraging private-sector engagement to identify investment opportunities and establish stronger business connections.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said both nations set up a platform for further engagement in trade, education, and other potential areas.

The Cambodian Premier also expressed hope that Azerbaijani business representatives would visit Cambodia to explore investment opportunities and potential partnerships.

Improving connectivity was another key issue discussed by the leaders. They considered the possibility of establishing an air service agreement to facilitate travel, business exchanges and closer commercial links between the two countries.

Education also remains an important area of cooperation, with both sides expressing interest in expanding scholarship opportunities and academic exchanges.

By Heng Panha