Indonesia and Cambodia Eye Potential Infrastructure Cooperation

Indonesia and Cambodia are committed to exploring potential cooperation opportunities in infrastructure and connectivity.

IDXChannel - Indonesia and Cambodia are committed to exploring potential cooperation opportunities in infrastructure and connectivity.

"Enhanced connectivity paves the way for stronger bilateral cooperation, especially in trade and economics," expressed Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto in a media release, Monday (25/3/2024).

Ambassador Santo met with Cambodian Miniser of Public Works and Tranportaytion Peng Ponea in Phnom Penh on Friday. The meeting took place just two weeks after the bilateral between President Joko Widodo and Prime Minister Hun Manet on the sidelines of the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit in Melbourne on 5 March.

On infrastructure development, Minister Peng Ponea underscored the Cambodian government's present emphasis on the advancement of waterways and railways. He invited Indonesian government and private sector to take part in this endeavor.

Ambassador Santo expressed a commitment to delve deeper into opportunities for Indonesian state-owned enterprises to engage in infrastructure development in Cambodia. According to him, Indonesian state-owned companies possess valuable experience in spearheading infrastructure projects abroad, recently in the Philippines and Timor Leste.

Ambassador Santo also underscored Indonesia's extensive experience in developing railways across Java Island and expressed the potential for cooperation with Cambodia in this area. He added that Indonesia's train manufacturing company, PT. INKA, which was visited by the previous Cambodian Minister of Public Works and TransportationSun Chantol in 2019, further illustrating Indonesia's capabilities in this sector.

Human resources development was also a topic of discussion, with Ambassador Santo conveying Indonesia's intentions to offer more capacity-building programs and scholarships in this field.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Cambodia. To facilitate this goal, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh intends to organize an infrastructure investment forum in Jakarta in October 2024, aimed at promoting investment opportunities from Cambodia to Indonesia and vice versa. (WHY)