Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Samdech Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate, has voiced his strong support and encouraged the Royal Government to proceed with establishing a Cambodian embassy in Pakistan. This significant declaration was made during a high-level meeting with Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani, Chairman of the Pakistani Senate and founding president of the Inter-Parliamentary Conference (ISC), who visited Cambodia on an official trip from February 2 to 5, 2026.
The outcome of the bilateral discussions between the two parliamentary leaders was disclosed by Chea Thireth, spokesman for the Cambodian Senate, during a press conference held on the evening of February 2. Both Senate Presidents mutually agreed on the imperative to enhance bilateral relations between their respective governments. A key point of discussion revolved around Cambodia’s current absence of an embassy in Pakistan. Samdech Hun Sen unequivocally stated his endorsement for the government to open a Cambodian embassy in Pakistan, a move expected to foster numerous desired connections between the two nations across various sectors.
“Samdech Techo [Hun Sen] supported the Royal Government of Cambodia in officially opening an embassy in Pakistan to further advance relations between Cambodia and Pakistan,” Chea Thireth quoted Samdech Hun Sen as saying to the media. Beyond strengthening diplomatic presence, both Cambodian and Pakistani Senate leaders also concurred on the importance of significantly boosting bilateral trade.
Currently, the trade volume between Cambodia and Pakistan stands at approximately $53 million as of 2025. Both parties acknowledged this figure as remarkably modest, especially when contrasted with their long-standing diplomatic ties, which span roughly 70 years. Samdech Hun Sen emphasized this point, stating, “Within the political framework, we always support each other. Alongside excellent political relations, both countries should expand their trade and economic volume further, as current data shows bilateral trade is only $53 million in 2025.”
The leaders also recognized the considerable potential for strengthening people-to-people connections, particularly through promoting tourism from Pakistan to Cambodia and vice versa.
This visit marked Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani’s third official trip to Cambodia as Chairman of the Pakistani Senate, following previous visits in 2019 and 2023. Samdech Hun Sen highlighted Gillani’s presence as a crucial factor in propelling the relationship between Cambodia and Pakistan forward, not only at the Senate level but also within the broader parliamentary and governmental frameworks of both countries.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani reciprocated the warm sentiments regarding the bilateral relationship and extended a formal invitation to Samdech Hun Sen to visit Pakistan in his capacity as Senate President, noting that Samdech Hun Sen had not yet made an official trip to the Islamic nation. In response, Samdech Hun Sen indicated his intention to seek an appropriate time for such a visit in the future.
Further solidifying the institutional ties between the two legislative bodies, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the General Secretariats of the Cambodian and Pakistani Senates during the meeting.
During his official visit to Cambodia from February 2 to 5, 2026, Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani and his accompanying delegation had a comprehensive itinerary. They were scheduled to be granted a royal audience with His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia. Additionally, they planned to pay courtesy calls on Samdech Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, and Samdech Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia.
The Cambodian Senate expressed strong confidence that the official visit by the Pakistani Senate Chairman would play a pivotal role in strengthening the friendship, bilateral relations, and parliamentary cooperation between Cambodia and Pakistan. This visit is expected to significantly contribute to advancing Cambodia’s parliamentary diplomatic agenda through enhanced international dialogue and collaboration.
