Brunei, Cambodia Want Relations Strengthened
By Hadi DP Mahmud

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei and Cambodia are in the initial stages of exploring options to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Brunei Investment Agency's general manager Dr Amin Abdullah yesterday paid a courtesy call on Cambodian Ambassador to Brunei Nan Sy at the latter's residence in Bengkurong Masin.

Both expressed satisfaction with the existing "good cooperation and open relations between the two nations".

The officials noted that "nothing specific" was discussed in terms of how bilateral relations can be strengthened.

Cambodia has a 12-year-old parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, with King Norodom Sihanouk as the head of state. According to a country report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), forests are Cambodia's most valuable resource.

Cambodia is believed to have modest but commercially viable deposits of phosphate, granite, limestone, sand, gravel, clay and bauxite, and there are also gold, gem and oil and gas reserves. The precise extent of these has not been assessed, although some oil exploration is taking place, stated the report.

Agriculture dominates the economy, contributing an estimated 39 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) at current market prices in 2001, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The importance of agriculture has slipped in recent years, accounting for 46 per cent of GDP in 1997.

In 2001 industries comprising mining, manufacturing, construction and utilities accounted for 21.9 per cent of GDP at current market prices, up considerably from 1997, when it accounted for 15.2 per cent, stated the EIU country report.

The manufacturing sector's contribution to GDP has been on a rising trend, and stood at 15.7 per cent of GDP in 2001.

The majority of farming households in Cambodia are engaged in rice production.

Timber and rubber are important export commodities, and other agricultural products such as maize, soybeans, live cattle, fruit and fish are also exported.

The government has also been seeking to attract private domestic and foreign investment in agriculture, notably in food processing. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Time

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