Australia to send Cambodia 3 million vaccine doses as Marise Payne makes Southeast Asia tour

The foreign minister spoke with Hun Sen on trade and Australian assistance to Cambodia, as she made her second stop in a four-nation trip

The tour comes amid concern by some Asean members over Australia’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines under its Aukus pact with the UK and US

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Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn welcomes Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 8, 2021. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:00pm, 8 Nov 2021Updated: 9:00pm, 8 Nov 2021

Australia’s foreign minister on Monday met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on issues including the Covid-19 pandemic during the second stop of her four-nation Southeast Asian tour.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne exchanged views with her host on trade and Australia’s provision of assistance to Cambodia in the education, health, agriculture and defence sectors, said Eang Sophalleth, a spokesman for the Cambodian premier.

Payne mentioned during talks that Australia will provide 3.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine shots to Cambodia, with 1.5 million doses set to arrive by the end of this year, the spokesman added.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks to Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn (R) during a meeting in Phnom Penh on November 8, 2021. Photo: AFP

Australia in February announced a separate grant of US$28 million for Cambodia to purchase 3 million doses.

Cambodia has vaccinated 87 per cent of its more than 16 million people, one of Asia’s highest inoculation rates.

“The Australian government has decided to provide Cambodia with 3,250,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, of which 1 million will be delivered to Cambodia before the end of this year,” Hun Sen said on his official Facebook page.

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