Cambodia and Türkiye Sign Military Framework Agreement as Erdogan Urges Peace With Thailand

Defence pact joins a wider push on trade and diplomacy

Cambodia and Türkiye signed a Military Framework Agreement on October 16, 2026, as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sought closer military ties and renewed their push toward $1 billion in bilateral trade. Erdogan also called for a peaceful settlement of Cambodia's border dispute with Thailand and said Turkish assistance had reached more than 3,000 people affected by the fighting.

The leaders presided over the signing after talks at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office in Istanbul, according to the Turkish presidency and Cambodia's government news agency, Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP). AKP's account of the talks places the meeting in Istanbul on the afternoon of October 16; its signing ceremony caption and a press conference caption instead place the evening events in Ankara.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan signed the agreement for Türkiye, while Cambodian Deputy Defence Minister Prak Sovanna signed for Cambodia. Their leaders discussed defence industries, investment, energy, education and culture, alongside possible direct flights between Istanbul and Phnom Penh.

The visit brought together several parts of a relationship that began with diplomatic ties on November 7, 1959. Cambodia is seeking practical cooperation between its armed forces and those of Türkiye, while also encouraging Turkish companies to invest in Cambodian factories, agriculture processing, transport and technology.

What the military agreement changes

Hun Manet described the framework agreement as a basis for strengthening practical cooperation between the two countries' armed forces. He said the leaders had discussed measures to deepen political, defence and security relations.

A framework agreement sets a broad basis for cooperation, with the individual activities shaped through further decisions. The announcements did not give the agreement's detailed provisions, an implementation timetable, equipment purchases or financial commitments.

Erdogan welcomed Cambodia's interest in Turkish defence products. In the Turkish presidency's press conference statement, the president linked that interest to the prospect of closer cooperation:

We are pleased over the interest Cambodia shows in our defense industry products. We have a significant potential in this area, and we will inshallah improve our cooperation with them.

The agreement gives military cooperation a formal place within a broader diplomatic relationship. Hun Manet presented it as part of an effort to make relations more practical, extending beyond friendly exchanges between governments.

A call for dialogue on the Thai border

Erdogan addressed the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute while presenting Türkiye as both a defence partner and a supporter of peace. His remarks came after a ceasefire in late 2025 halted 20 days of renewed fighting that killed at least 101 people and displaced more than 500,000.

Cambodia and Thailand have continued to accuse each other of violating agreements, with disagreements over territorial claims and troop positions keeping tensions alive. For families forced from their homes, the dispute involves personal safety and the possibility of returning to their communities, as well as the position of a border.

Erdogan, speaking as Türkiye's president, called for talks grounded in international law:

We hope that the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand will be resolved on the basis of international law through dialogue and peaceful means.

Hun Manet and Erdogan also stressed respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter during their bilateral discussions. Their statements placed peaceful negotiation alongside the expansion of military relations.

Turkish aid has reached more than 3,000 people

Erdogan said Türkiye had delivered aid to more than 3,000 people in coordination with Cambodian officials and would continue its humanitarian work. He connected that assistance directly to civilians affected by the border conflict.

The reported displacement of more than 500,000 people gives a sense of the scale of disruption. Turkish assistance represents one concrete part of the response, reaching people while diplomatic efforts seek to prevent further fighting.

Cambodia's development cooperation with Türkiye also extends beyond emergency aid. Hun Manet thanked the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) for work involving infrastructure, women's economic participation and initiatives supporting Cambodian Muslim women.

The visit therefore covered two different needs: immediate help for civilians affected by conflict and longer term projects intended to improve daily life. Both leaders presented these activities as part of the relationship between their countries.

The $1 billion trade goal remains some distance away

Bilateral trade reached approximately $400 million in 2025, rising about 18% from roughly $338 million in 2024. Hun Manet urged businesses to build on that growth and work toward the $1 billion target agreed in 2018, when then Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Türkiye.

At $400 million, annual trade stands at about 40% of that target. Reaching $1 billion would require another $600 million in annual commerce, or two and a half times the 2025 total. The comparison shows why the leaders paired their diplomatic meetings with discussions involving business organisations.

The Cambodia-Türkiye Business Forum in Istanbul was jointly hosted by the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and Türkiye's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK). Erdogan said he hoped the gathering would strengthen ties between the two business communities.

Hun Manet urged investors to use the Joint Economic Commission and the Cambodia-Türkiye Business Council to address trade barriers and speed investment. Such bodies provide channels for businesses and officials to work through problems that can otherwise delay transactions or projects.

Business groups agree on practical cooperation

The Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and DEİK signed a memorandum of understanding covering business networking, the sharing of market information and the development of joint ventures. A joint venture allows businesses to undertake a project together, sharing resources and responsibilities.

Hun Manet identified manufacturing, agriculture processing, renewable energy, logistics, digital technology and sustainable tourism as areas for cooperation. The list connects investment opportunities to concrete activities, from processing farm products to moving goods and supplying energy.

Cambodia's prime minister also presented his country as a gateway to broader Asian markets through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). RCEP is a regional trade agreement that sets rules for commerce among its members. For an investor, access to neighbouring markets can influence where to place production or distribution operations.

Hun Manet said Cambodia was ready to work with Turkish businesses to expand trade, attract investment and strengthen partnerships between companies. The business memorandum provides an organisational step toward those goals, while the trade figures show the growth still needed.

Direct flights, scholarships and cultural ties

Hun Manet and Erdogan discussed establishing direct flights between Istanbul and Phnom Penh, along with tourism, education and cultural exchanges. A direct connection would make travel between the two cities simpler for visitors, businesspeople and others travelling between the countries.

Education already forms part of the relationship. Erdogan said Türkiye supports Cambodian students through its Türkiye Scholarship programs, while TIKA and the Yunus Emre Institute contribute to social and cultural ties.

Students, tourism operators and businesses depend on different parts of this agenda. Scholarships support study, cultural programmes encourage exchanges, and transport links can make visits easier. The leaders brought these activities into the same discussion as trade and defence.

The proposed air connection also gives a practical dimension to their interest in tourism. For Cambodia, attracting Turkish investment in that sector would be easier to connect with visitor growth if travel between the countries became more convenient.

Cooperation extends to the UN, ASEAN and Gaza

Erdogan welcomed Cambodia's participation as a founding member of the Gaza Board of Peace and expressed hope that Phnom Penh would contribute to work based on a two-state solution in Palestine. A two-state solution means an Israeli state and a Palestinian state existing alongside each other.

Hun Manet praised Türkiye's diplomatic engagement on peace and stability, including in the Middle East. Both leaders also highlighted cooperation through the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Hun Manet welcomed Türkiye's engagement with ASEAN and called for closer cooperation on regional connectivity and shared prosperity. For Cambodia, that gives the relationship a regional dimension alongside the agreements between the two governments.

The Cambodian prime minister invited Erdogan to make an official visit to Cambodia. The invitation offers a further opportunity to carry forward discussions on military cooperation, business ties and exchanges between their citizens.

How the relationship reached this point

Cambodia and Türkiye have maintained diplomatic relations for more than six decades. The October visit built on that history and on the economic target set during Hun Sen's visit eight years earlier.

• November 7, 1959: Cambodia and Türkiye established diplomatic relations.
• 2018: Hun Sen and Erdogan agreed to seek $1 billion in bilateral trade.
• 2024: Bilateral trade stood at roughly $338 million.
• 2025: Trade rose to approximately $400 million, an increase of about 18%.
• Late 2025: A ceasefire halted 20 days of renewed fighting between Cambodia and Thailand.
• October 16, 2026: Hun Manet and Erdogan held talks and presided over the Military Framework Agreement signing.
• October 17, 2026: Cambodian government accounts published details of the talks and signing, while Erdogan repeated his message about closer cooperation on Facebook.

The Turkish presidency's meeting announcement records an official welcome at Dolmabahce, followed by a private meeting between the leaders and talks with their delegations. Fidan also attended.

The visit produced a military framework and a business cooperation memorandum while setting out a wider agenda on flights, investment and education. Its immediate diplomatic message was equally direct: stronger relations between Cambodia and Türkiye should develop alongside efforts to settle the Thai border dispute peacefully.

Key Points

• Cambodia and Türkiye signed a Military Framework Agreement on October 16, 2026.
• Hun Manet said it would support practical cooperation between the two countries' armed forces.
• Erdogan urged Cambodia and Thailand to resolve their border dispute through dialogue and international law.
• Türkiye said its humanitarian assistance had reached more than 3,000 people affected by the fighting.
• Bilateral trade reached about $400 million in 2025, around 40% of the $1 billion target.
• The leaders discussed investment, direct flights, scholarships, cultural exchanges and cooperation through international organisations.