U.S. State Department lifts defense trade embargo on Cambodia under International Traffic in Arms Regulations
Requests for authorization to transfer defense articles and defense services to Cambodia will now be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis.
The U.S. Department of State today issued a final rule amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to remove Cambodia from the list of countries subject to a U.S. defense trade embargo. This change follows a determination by the Secretary of State, prompted by Cambodia’s renewed engagement with the United States on defense cooperation and efforts to combat transnational crime (read TradeNewsFlash).
With the embargo lifted, requests for authorization to transfer defense articles and defense services to Cambodia will now be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis. Exemptions that were previously unavailable for transfers to countries listed in § 126.1 are now accessible for Cambodia, provided the relevant criteria are met.
The rule is scheduled to take effect on the date of publication in the Federal Register, which is scheduled to be November 7, 2025.