US removes Cambodia from arms-embargo country list

2026-02-05 - 04:36

The United States has formally removed Cambodia from its list of arms-embargoed countries, according to a final rule released by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under the US Department of Commerce. The rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to remove Cambodia from Country Group D:5, which covers countries subject to US arms embargoes. The change follows a November 2025 decision by the US Department of State to lift the embargo under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The White House announced the embargo’s removal on 26 October 2025. The following day, the State Department said it would begin reviewing defence-related export applications involving Cambodia on a case-by-case basis. In its November rule, the State Department cited Cambodia’s renewed engagement with the United States on defence cooperation and efforts to combat transnational crime as key reasons for lifting the embargo. BIS said it removed the D:5 designation to avoid confusion among exporters and re-exporters. However, Cambodia remains listed in Country Group D:1, meaning restrictions related to military and military-intelligence end uses and end users remain in force. The rule took effect on 3 February 2026.