AKP Phnom Penh, July 22, 2026 —

The United States will continue to cooperate with Cambodia's law enforcement agencies in combating online scam operations and other transnational crimes, while expressing confidence that Cambodia-U.S. relations will continue to grow stronger.

This reaction was made when H.E. Kash Patel, Director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), paid a courtesy call and working meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on Wednesday morning.

During the meeting, H.E. Kash Patel thanked the Royal Government of Cambodia for its close cooperation and longstanding partnership with the FBI. He also commended Cambodia's recent efforts and operations to crack down on technology-enabled fraud and online scam networks.

The FBI Director stressed that online scam operations are not a problem confined to any single country but a shared international challenge that requires collective action. He underscored that the key to effectively addressing the issue lies in strong regional and global cooperation rather than assigning blame to one another.

H.E. Kash Patel said the U.S will continue to support and be a partner with Cambodia's law enforcement institutions through enhanced cooperation in tackling online scams, transnational organised crime, and other emerging security threats.

H.E. Kash Patel also expressed optimism that Cambodia-U.S. relations would continue to strengthen, particularly in the area of law enforcement and security cooperation, for the mutual benefit of both countries.

In response, Cambodian Prime Minister welcomed the positive momentum in Cambodia-U.S. relations across a wide range of sectors, including the economy, trade, investment, defence, and security. He reaffirmed Cambodia's commitment to working closely with the U.S. to combat transnational crime, drug trafficking, and cyber-enabled fraud.

The Prime Minister also announced that Cambodia will host an International Conference on Combating Online Scams in September 2026, aimed at strengthening regional and global cooperation in addressing the growing threat of cyber-enabled fraud.

Samdech Thipadei thanked the U.S. for its continued cooperation in information sharing and capacity building for Cambodia's law enforcement officials, emphasising that these efforts have contributed significantly to enhancing the country's ability to combat increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

Before concluding the meeting, both sides exchanged views on future directions for Cambodia-U.S. security cooperation, highlighting the importance of sustained information sharing, institutional partnership, and capacity building to effectively combat online scams, drug trafficking, and other forms of transnational crime.

By Heng Panha