TANG CHHIN SOTHY/ AFP

Prime Minister Hun Sen (L) walks with Qatari PM Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani upon the latter’s arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport on April 1.

Cambodia and Qatar have agreed to start direct flights between their capitals, Phnom Penh and Doha, announced Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong.

A memorandum of understanding on the flights was signed April 2 between Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani, who was on an official two-day visit to Cambodia.

No date has been set for the start of air services between Doha and Phnom Penh, the chief of Cambodia’s Civil Aviation Authority, Mao Havannal, told AFP, adding that experts from both countries were studying potential flight schedules.

“When we have new flights, there will be more tourists, more business people and more income in tourism,” Mao Havannal said.

Hor Nam Hong said the Qatar PM’s April visit, which also included meetings with King Norodom Sihamoni and a stop at Angkor Wat, was intended to strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries and jumpstart investment in Cambodia from the gulf region.

Cambodia and Qatar also established official diplomatic relations on April 2, and the Cambodian government requested assistance from Qatar in target areas, including technical training for oil and gas mining, visas for Cambodians to work in Qatar, and rice purchases to boost Cambodia’s exports.