The USS Savannah visited Cambodia on December 16th, 2024, the first US Navy visit to Cambodia in eight years, signifying an increase in cooperation.
The USS Savannah, part of the US Navy’s forward-deployed Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7, docked in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, for a five-day visit. Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence announced that the port call included a meeting with the commander of the hosting Ream Naval Base and meetings with provincial officials. The 103 crew members aboard the USS Savannah also had the opportunity to challenge members of the Cambodian Navy to a friendly sporting match, allowing for person-to-person exchange in addition to dialogue between officers higher on the command chain. The December visit was the US Navy’s first to Cambodia since 2016 and makes the USS Savannah the latest of 27 navy visits to Cambodia since 2007.
The port call follows a notable visit from former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in June 2024. Secretary Austin spoke with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Defence Minister Tea Seiha, and Senate President Hun Sen regarding future areas of increased defense cooperation, including resuming joint military exercises and exchange of military training. Though joint military exercises have been halted since 2017, Secretary Austin’s and the USS Savannah’s visits and fruitful discussions indicated warming relations and the potential for further security collaboration.
This cooperation is set to continue this year. On January 13, 2025, US defense attaché Colonel Kyle Saltzman met with General Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and discussed the potential for a resumption of military exercises in February, when the US Indo-Pacific Command commander is scheduled to visit Cambodia. Relations are expected to continue improving as security cooperation proceeds.
The United States and Cambodia share intentional areas of collaboration. The United States was one of the first countries to recognize Cambodia as a state in 1950. The United States has provided Cambodia $3 billion in foreign assistance over the last 30 years, in areas such as health, education, food security, and economic growth. The two countries continue to share meaningful ties: the United States is Cambodia’s 2nd largest trading partner and biggest export market, with clothing and leather goods making up the majority of these exports. The United States accounts for 44% of Cambodia’s exports, valued at $12.2 billion, making it an important partner for Cambodia.
Tommis Meyer is a Spring 2025 Young Professional Intern at the East-West Center in Washington. Tommis is also in his final semester pursuing an undergraduate degree in Global International Relations at American University under its Joint Degree Program with Ritsumeikan University in Japan.