Kuwait–Cambodia relations poised for takeoff with new airport and investment push

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the State of Kuwait, H.E. Sman Manan, says the relations between Kuwait and Phnom Penh began with the visit of former Kuwaiti Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed to Cambodia, which resulted in the signing of a number of memoranda of understanding.

He added, “In 2009, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen visited Kuwait, and more memoranda of understanding were signed, bringing the total to 11 covering labor, investment, agriculture, civil aviation, and trade, in addition to other fields within the scope of trade exchange.”

Ambassador Manan explained, during a recent press conference held at the embassy, that “memoranda have been signed, but in reality, benefit from them has yet to be realized,” noting that “political and economic conditions have prevented investors from meeting as needed, despite the efforts of senior Cambodian officials to promote investments, including the visit of the Minister of State in charge of Cambodia’s Development Council, H.E. Neak Oknha Datuk Dr. Othsman Hassan, Senior Minister in Charge of Special Mission, to Kuwait to invite Kuwaiti investors.”

The Cambodian envoy spoke about his diplomatic career, noting that he served as Cambodia’s ambassador to Kuwait for two terms — the first in 2015 and the second in 2023 —two out of the five terms in which Cambodian ambassadors have served in Kuwait.

He affirmed that his goal in the current term is to strengthen joint government work, enhance bilateral ties, link investments and trade between the two countries, and increase cooperation in tourism and product exchange.

The ambassador went on to say he is working with travel agencies in both countries to activate tourism exchange but said that results so far have remained limited, adding: “I will again request the relevant authorities in my country to come to Kuwait to discuss and activate this cooperation.”

On visas, Manan explained that Kuwaitis still require a visa to enter Cambodia, but there are three ways to obtain it — first, direct application through the embassy in Kuwait, which takes one or two days; second, online application through a dedicated link; and third, obtaining a visa upon arrival, provided the tourist is connected with a travel agency that handles all arrangements, including receiving tour groups, while businesspeople also require a sponsoring agency or entity.

Regarding the number of Kuwaiti visitors, the ambassador said it remains small and mainly for tourism or humanitarian purposes. He noted that Kuwait ranks first in supporting humanitarian projects in Cambodia, including building schools for Muslim communities, constructing mosques, and building homes for the poor and orphanages.

He stressed that upon arriving in Cambodia, the name of Kuwait is well known and respected for its globally recognized humanitarian role. He pointed out that Cambodia currently has 635 mosques across 25 provinces, along with the availability of halal food and high-quality hotel services.

On the labor issue, Manan pointed out that there is an agreement between Kuwait and Cambodia for the recruitment of labor, but it has not yet been fully implemented due to certain cultural and environmental challenges, as well as salary requirements similar to those in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, where wages range from $2,000 and above.

This makes convincing workers to come to Kuwait a process that requires time. He explained that Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor continues to work with its Kuwaiti counterpart to activate the agreement, particularly in the field of domestic workers.

The number of Cambodians working in Kuwait is small and concentrated in hotels and resorts, with some also working in Dubai and Qatar, especially in hotels and wellness resorts.

Regarding education, the ambassador said there are currently 38 Cambodian students studying in Kuwait, most of them in Arabic language programs, supported by religious institutions.

On investment opportunities, he pointed out that Cambodia has significant potential in real estate, hotels, tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, and construction.

Ambassador Manan concluded by announcing an important strategic project for his country: the opening of a new international airport on September 9, which will allow for greater air connectivity and may pave the way for direct flights between Kuwait and Cambodia in the future.

This project, he said, will help boost investment and tourism flows between Cambodia and Kuwait.

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