Phnom Penh:Prime Minister Samdech Maha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet hosted H.E. Ms. Raylene Siale Tagaloa Liufalani, the newly appointed Ambassador of New Zealand to Cambodia, for a courtesy call and working discussion at the Peace Palace on Monday morning.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Ambassador Liufalani expressed her pleasure at her new role and praised the enduring friendship and partnership between New Zealand and Cambodia. She highlighted New Zealand's contributions to Cambodia's recovery, reconstruction, and socioeconomic development over the years.

The Ambassador emphasized strong bilateral cooperation in areas such as mine and unexploded ordnance clearance, water resources management, climate change, and scholarships for Cambodian students. She acknowledged Cambodia's important regional role and expressed gratitude for its support in upgrading New Zealand-ASEAN relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Ambassador Liufalani assured her commitment to advancing New Zealand-Cambodia relations both bilaterally and regionally during her tenure.

Prime Minister Hun Manet congratulated the Ambassador on her appointment and expressed confidence in the continued growth of bilateral relations. He recognized the potential for further strengthening ties and expressed appreciation for New Zealand's support in various areas, including scholarship provision and peacekeeping cooperation.

The meeting concluded with discussions on new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in fields such as trade, investment, renewable energy, and human resource development. Prime Minister Hun Manet encouraged the Ambassador to maintain close collaboration with Cambodian institutions to deepen and expand their partnership.