The Ambassador of African country Kenya, Richard Titus Ekai, told Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on Wednesday that he would like to see direct flights between Phnom Penh and Nairobi.

Sok An met Kenyan Ambassador Ekai at his office to discuss the initiative regarding direct flights between the two countries.

He said that Cambodia has high potential in cultural and ecological tourism, according to Ek Tha, a spokesman for the office for the Council of Ministers.

Ekai said that details will be discussed by the relevant institutions before an agreement is signed.

Nairobi already has direct flights to Thailand and Vietnam, and now wants to have direct flights to Cambodia as well, according to the ambassador, which will boost tourism and economic activity.

Sok An said he will try to push the idea.

“We will try our best to facilitate your airlines. We have Angkor Airlines, which is now only operating in Cambodia and Vietnam,” said the deputy prime minister.

Data from the Ministry of Tourism showed the number of African tourists has been declining recently.

There has been a 15.6 per cent decrease from 2,505 to 1,968 this year.

Visitors from Kenya also declined 15.6 per cent to 119 from 141.

Sok An also said that Cambodia, which also has great potential in agriculture, every year has a surplus of rice exported to neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand.

Nairobi is interested in the possibility of Cambodia exporting milled rice to Kenya, a former British colony in central Africa that has many things in common with Cambodia.

To contact the reporter on this story: May Kunmakara at [email protected]