The Consulate of Sweden in Phnom Penh will remain open to provide consular services to Swedish nationals in Cambodia, after the closure of the Sweden Section Office in Phnom Penh from Sept. 30 onwards, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC) emphasised in a follow-up statement issued this morning.
Moreover, the source added, the Embassy of Sweden to Thailand will continue to represent Sweden in the relations with Cambodia.
Despite the Sweden Section Office’s closure, some embassies have opened new offices such as the Turkish Trade Office in April 2023, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission January 2024, and the Consulate of Canada in Siem Reap province in February 2024, the statement underlined.
In a statement on Sept. 16, the spokesperson of the MFAIC rejected any attempts to interpret the case of the closure of the Sweden Section Office in Phnom Penh for political purposes.
‘The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs indicated that the Swedish Go
vernment has made this decision in a reprioritisation effort to focus on economic development, peace, and security in its neighbouring countries, in response to the global paradigm shift following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the spokesperson clarified.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse