- His Excellency Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, President of the Senate of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;
- Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia;
- Samdech Maha Rathsapheatika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia
- His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference;
- Honourable Speakers and Presidents of Parliaments;
- Distinguished Guests;
- Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
It is an honor and privilege for me to address this gathering at the Opening Session of the Second Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference in Phnom Penh. On behalf of the Royal Government and people of Cambodia, I extend our warmest welcome to all Honorable Speakers, Heads of Delegation, distinguished parliamentarians, and representatives of international institutions.
Your presence in Phnom Penh today bears testimony to our collective commitment to meaningful dialogue, institutional cooperation, sustained peace and shared prosperity at a time of profound international uncertainty.
I wish to express my deepest appreciation to the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia, under the leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, for organizing this important Conference and bringing together legislative leaders from diverse political systems and continents.
As Samdech Techo Hun Sen will elaborate on the complex global geopolitical landscape and international situation, and the role parliamentary diplomacy can play in preserving dialogue and confidence. Allow me to approach our common theme from another, complementary perspective: that of the Royal Cambodian Government’s action and practical construction of peace within nations.
Peace is the pre-condition for development and progress. It must be defended internationally, protected by law, and sustained by resilient institutions. Above all, it must be translated into shared prosperity and tangible improvements in the lives of our people.
For Cambodia, this conviction is born from our own history—from war to peace, from peace to development—and more recently, from a painful reminder that peace, however long it may endure, can never be taken for granted.
- Samdech, Excellencies, Members of the Legislative Body, and Distinguished Guests,
Cambodia’s tragic history and remarkable national rebirth offer a fundamental and universal truth: peace is a nation’s most precious capital. It is the indispensable foundation upon which human dignity, social justice, institutional stability, and sustainable progress must be built.
For Cambodia, the hard-won peace was achieved through Samdech Techo Hun Sen’s historic Win-Win Policy in 1998, putting an end to decades of tragic conflict and national division. The peace dividend created the conditions for reconstruction, poverty reduction, infrastructure development, and deeper integration into regional and global markets. Peace enabled our society to invest in healthcare, empower our youth through education, and transform our nation into an active, responsible contributor to international affairs.
Yet in 2025, after twenty-six years of uninterrupted peace, the longest period of peace our nation had known in 500 years, wars returned to our internationally recognized borders with Thailand, threatening Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Lives and livelihoods were lost, families displaced, and local development adversely affected.
The ceasefire reached on 27 December 2025 holds, but the situation on the ground remains fragile, as thousands of troops remain stationed face to face along the border and no de-escalation measures have been taken. The core issue – territorial integrity and sovereignty under international law and existing agreements – remains unresolved.
Despite the fact that both sides have agreed, under Kuala Lumpur Accord (KL Accords) of 26 October 2025 and Joint Statement of 27 December 2025, to allow survey and demarcation works by the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) based on existing agreements to begin at the earliest possible in order for clear demarcation works between the two countries to be done to prevent further disputes and to allow displaced people to return to their homes with safety and dignity, no demarcation works by the JBC have taken place. There are about 20,000 displaced Cambodian people who are not yet able to return home.
Furthermore, Thai troops still occupy many areas into Cambodian territory, even beyond its unilaterally claimed boundary line. Thai military activities to create faits accomplis on the groundwithin these controlled territories such as laying barbed wires and containers, building land infrastructure both military and civilian as well as issuing land titles to Thai citizen before demarcation works are completed are of great concern.
Despite these issues, Cambodia still adheres to a peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law and existing agreements. Our recent decision to initiate Compulsory Conciliation under UNCLOS to settle our maritime border with Thailand, demonstrates our sincere desire to seek a fair and lasting solution firmly grounded in international law.
A peaceful resolution is in the shared interests of both countries and will contribute to peace and stability in the region. It will protect sovereignty, strengthen confidence, unlock energy resources, support development, and create new job opportunities – not only for now, but also for future generations of the Cambodian and Thai peoples.
The border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand is not just about a bilateral issue, but also a global concern over respect for international law, the UN Charter, including the principle of inviolability of borders, and ASEAN Charter.
On this note, Cambodia sincerely appreciates the support of the international community, including ASEAN member countries, for the ceasefire and the peaceful settlement of the dispute between Cambodia and Thailand in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN and ASEAN Charters. Cambodia looks forward to their continued attention and support.
In a broader context, law cannot protect peace if states are left alone when rules are challenged. This is where solidarity acquires its full meaning. Solidarity means defending the same principles for all nations, supporting the implementation of agreements, protecting civilians, and preserving dialogue when relations become strained. It must move beyond declarations and become practical cooperation.
- Samdech, Excellencies, Members of the Legislative Body, and Distinguished Guests,
Our recent experience has taught us another lesson. Protecting peace at the borders is not enough. A country must also be strong to withstand the economic, social, and institutional shocks that conflict and global instability can bring.
For Cambodia, this is the meaning of resilience: the capacity of a nation to absorb a shock without losing what decades of peace have enabled it to build.
Despite severe external pressures, Cambodia has preserved macroeconomic stability while accelerating economic diversification, strengthening domestic production, and investing in logistics, energy security, and connectivity.
Our objective is clear: growth must strengthen national resilience, and opportunity must reach both urban centers and rural communities.
Resilience also depends on effective institutions and the confidence of citizens. Cambodia is therefore modernizing public administration and using digital transformation to make public services more efficient, transparent, and accessible.
Yet the ultimate strength of a country resides in its people. Therefore, the Royal Government is investing in education, technical and vocational training, healthcare, and digital skills so that our youth can adapt, create, compete, and face the future with confidence.
A resilient society must also protect those most vulnerable, easily exposed to shocks. In response, Cambodia has expanded social protection coverage from 3.3 million citizens in 2017 to approximately 8.5 million in 2026. This protection preserves dignity and helps prevent economic shock from becoming a social crisis.
The same principle applies to climate resilience. Developing countries need fair access to climate finance, technology, and institutional capacity to protect their populations while pursuing a just green transition. Here again, solidarity must become practical.
Resilience, however, is not an end in itself. Its purpose is to protect people, preserve opportunities, and ensure that the benefits of peace and development reach society as a whole. This brings us to shared prosperity.
- Samdech, Excellencies, Members of the Legislative Body, and Distinguished Guests,
Under the Seventh Mandate of the National Assembly, the Royal Government has launched the Pentagonal Strategy-Phase I as the roadmap for Cambodia’s transformation toward its Vision 2050.
Its purpose extends far beyond headline economic statistics. Growth is not an end in itself. It must create jobs and incomes, develop skills, improve access to essential services, widen social mobility, and give citizens confidence in the future.
Peace gives governments the space to invest and develop. But for peace to become deeply rooted, its benefits must be visible in people’s daily lives, in roads that connect communities, schools that open opportunities, health services that protect families, social protection that safeguards dignity, and employment that allows people to build a future.
A society in which large segments of the population feel excluded or abandoned becomes more vulnerable in times of crisis. Conversely, inclusion, opportunity, protection of the vulnerable, and social mobility strengthen national cohesion. Shared prosperity is therefore not merely an economic objective. It is a condition of national stability and durable peace.
The circle is clear: peace makes development possible; resilience protects its achievements; shared prosperity strengthens social cohesion; and stronger social cohesion, in turn, makes peace more durable.
This responsibility cannot be carried out by governments alone. Governments and parliaments have distinct constitutional responsibilities, but they share a common purpose: to serve the people, preserve peace, and create the conditions for durable prosperity. When formal diplomatic channels face strain, parliamentary dialogue can also help maintain communication and rebuild trust.
Cambodia, once a beneficiary of international efforts to restore peace, has become a contributor to international public goods. Through United Nations peacekeeping, humanitarian demining, regional food security, and international cooperation, our country shares with others the experience, skills, and responsibilities born from its own history.
- Samdech, Excellencies, Members of the Legislative Body, and Distinguished Guests,
Cambodia’s journey carries a simple but strong message:
Peace gives us the opportunity to rebuild.
Resilience enables us to protect what we have built.
Shared prosperity offers our people a stake in preserving peace for generations to come.
I wish this Conference every success.
Thank You!
