Khmer Times, Opinion
November 4,
2019
Cambodia as emerging connector between the EU and ASEAN
First, although Cambodia’s democracy is young, Cambodia is not a communist nor socialist country and therefore it can easily adapt with the EU’s strategic values and principles. Cambodia always attaches great importance to quality relations with the EU taking into account of Cambodia’s “longest peace in modern history”, peaceful democratization, and promotion of human-centered development.
For the EU, Cambodia is seen as an emerging connector in the relationship between the former and ASEAN. Despite being a small state and latecomer, Cambodia has proven to be an active proponent of multilateralism. The boldness of assuming its first ASEAN chairmanship in 2002 after merely three years of accession demonstrates a strong political will and commitment to complying with multilateralism. This small nation will take this important work again in 2022. The EU also knows that Cambodia always supports the establishment of a strategic partnership between ASEAN and the EU. Cambodia’s hosting of the 13th Asia-Europe Europe Meeting (ASEM13) next year will become another milestone in further strengthening the ASEAN-EU collaboration with the Kingdom as an enabling platform. The increasing attention of the EU towards ASEAN is not surprising considering the latter’s sophisticated regional architecture and solid results as a hub for regionalism and multilateralism and a powerful growth engine of the world economy with an increasingly integrated market.
From Cambodia’s perspective, maximizing relations with the “EU Trio”, namely France, Germany and Brussels is of utmost importance.
France is considered as Cambodia’s “Plus Grand Ami en Europe” (most grand friend in Europe) considering France’s past heritage in Southeast Asia. The linkage is socially very visible as Cambodia continues to be a Francophone with many universities possessing the intellectual legacy in French such as law schools, public administration, engineering and technologies, and medical sciences. Cambodian foreign ministers often deliver statement at the United Nations General Assembly in both French and English, and it is interesting to note that French is used in the most sensitive parts of the speech to express Cambodia’s concerns and nuances. There are around 140 French companies out of a total of around 400 European companies in Cambodia. France is Cambodia’s largest rice buyer in Europe with 86,050 tons of import in 2018, and the 5th largest EU’s individual trade partner with Cambodia, after Germany, United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.
In the case of Germany, it is seen as a strong and reliable partner for Cambodia. Being an economic powerhouse, and a pragmatic and open minded friend, Germany has long supported peaceful democratization of Cambodia through assistance towards structural reform, social investment, modernization and capacity-strengthening of state apparatus. The recent visit in October of ministers holding key portfolio related to such purposes are self-evident. It is no doubt that Germany is one of the most important actors in the EU. Germany currently sends 96 MPs to the European Parliament. It was the largest net contributor to the EU in 2017 and paid 13 billion euros more to the EU than it received from it in funding. Germany will hold the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union again from July to December in 2020. Moreover, the current President of the European Commission is also German, Ursula von der Leyen.
The next important player should be Brussels. The EU is Europe’s compounding complex of diverse powers and interests. Being able to navigate across various actors and interests within Brussels, which is the EU’s de-facto capital is of paramount importance to enhance better understanding of Cambodia as well as to identify areas of practical cooperation as much as possible for mutual benefits. Multi-stakeholders should be involved in this process including through parliamentary framework.
Without prejudice to the good relations that Cambodia is having with other EU member states, besides these three trios, another layer of focus can be also observed through the asset that Cambodia has in terms of its relations with Eastern Europe. It is worth to note that Cambodia also has many friends in Eastern part of Europe who are now becoming more affluent with vibrant democracies within the EU. Cambodia never forgets that Eastern Europe recognized the existence of genocide and had extended a helping hand during Cambodia’s difficult times.
In the future, with consistently strong economic growth, Cambodia will graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) and the likelihood of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income economy by 2050 is not illusory. In the new development phase, aid will evaporate and be gradually substituted by trade, which is more powerful and sustainable tool in terms of wealth and job creation, and reduction of dependency. Like other traditional donors, the EU will gradually phase out its Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Cambodia. As such, to prepare for this structural shifting of Cambodia’s economy, Cambodia and the EU should also start discussing on topic such as “trade-not-aid strategy” to ensure economic sustainability through industrial and market diversification.
The future looks bright for both sides in terms of promoting bilateral interest as well as multilateralism that is supportive of common peace and shared prosperity in the region.
To Cambodia and the EU: let’s remain strongly connected, be future oriented and be bolder.
Sim Vireak, Strategic Advisor of Asian Vision Institute (AVI)