Cambodia, UAE set to boost cooperation in economics, tourism

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are in talks to promote bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and tourism on Wednesday.

The talks were made in a meeting here between Cambodian deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and the UAE's Assistant Foreign Minister for economic affairs Khalid Ghanem Al- Ghaith.

In the meeting, both sides discussed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on aviation in order to enable UAE airlines to operate direct flights from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, according to Cambodia's foreign affairs spokesman Koy Kuong.

"The direct flights will help attract more tourists and businesspeople from UAE to Cambodia," he told reporters after the meeting.

Koy Kuong added that Khalid expressed UAE's desires to create two agreements with Cambodia in order to encourage UAE investors to Cambodia.

One is the agreement on investment protection and promotion and the other is the agreement on exemption of overlapping taxes.

Khalid said the two agreements will help encourage UAE investors to consider investment opportunity in Cambodia.

Both sides also initiated a MoU on agricultural cooperation.

Meanwhile, Khalid said that the minister of the UAE's foreign affairs, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan will make an official visit to Cambodia in late February to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation.

Sourced: Cambodia News