Marking a new chapter in the Kingdom’s history, the National Assembly on the morning of August 21 convened its inaugural session under the auspices of King Norodom Sihamoni. The much-anticipated two-day event marks a significant milestone in Cambodian politics, with the Kingdom poised to witness a change of leadership not only in the parliament but also in, for the first time in nearly four decades, the executive branch. The inaugural session saw incumbent NA president Heng Samrin, as the oldest member of parliament, deliver his opening address in the presence of the King. Addressing the session, the King congratulated all…
Author: Niem Chheng
Individual holding “Cambodian passports” who commit crimes abroad are responsible for their own actions, said officials and commentators following one of Singapore’s largest ever crackdowns on money laundering on August 16. Three of the 10 suspects arrested reportedly held Cambodian passports. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) arrested the 10, aged 31 and 44, one of them a woman, for their suspected involvement in money laundering, forgery as well as resisting lawful apprehension. None of the suspects are Singaporean nationals or permanent residents. Another 12 are assisting the police with their investigation while eight others were on the run as of…
The ownership of three looted ancient bronze sculptures has been returned to Cambodia by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), although they will continue to be displayed in Australia until 2026. The handover event was held on July 28. The NGA said the sculptures were illegally exported from the Kingdom, and were all connected to the late art collector and dealer Douglas Latchford, who passed way while awaiting trial for dealing in illegally sourced antiquities. The three statues are the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, Bodhisattva Vajrapani and Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Padmapani, and date to the 9th and 10th centuries. The museum said…
In an earlier-than-expected move that signified an end of an era in Cambodian politics, Hun Sen, one of the world’s longest-serving prime ministers, announced his relinquishment of the top office on July 26 after 38 years in power. As the nation anticipates a change of guard, all eyes now turn to his son Hun Manet, who is slated to assume the role on August 22. The news of this landmark political shift and the emergence of new Cambodian leaders has ignited debates on the Kingdom’s future, particularly its foreign policy direction. A key question in these discussions centres on whether…
The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has recently defined a flexible foreign policy plan, projected to span the next five years. This strategic approach is a reflection of their adaptation to the dynamic geopolitical landscape, shaped by competitive influences of the world’s major powers. Earlier this year, the policy was formulated and finally shared with the public on July 25. This release followed the unofficial results from the July 23 general election. The results indicated a sweeping win for the CPP, with the party securing 120 out of the 125 National Assembly seats, suggesting a strong mandate for their leadership…
A total of 604 guns of US origin and manufacture that were no longer serviceable have been destroyed in Cambodia in the course of the past year, in an effort that a US official said was to ensure the safety and livelihoods of Cambodians. US ambassador to Cambodia W Patrick Murphy last week visited a US-funded joint project implemented between the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and Golden West Humanitarian Foundation in Kampong Chhnang province. Following his visit, Murphy tweeted: “I joined our Golden West Humanitarian Foundation partners in Kampong Chhnang to see how the conventional weapons destruction programs funded…
US and Cambodian authorities should work together to solve issues surrounding the arrest of a senior Cambodian agricultural official over the alleged “illegal” export of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) to the US, local analysts urged. Although a bail was ordered by the US court, Kry Masphal – director of the Department of Wildlife and Biodiversity at the Forestry Administration (FiA) under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – remains in custody. The US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on December 22 ordered the release on bail of Masphal and imposed on him a GPS transmitter amid…
At the centre of the existing multilateral order is the UN and the international organisation’s main policy-making organ, the UN General Assembly (UNGA). UNGA president and Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid was in Cambodia on an official visit from August 21-22 during which he commended the Kingdom for successfully chairing ASEAN this year and for sending peacekeeping forces under the UN umbrella to a range of countries. Shahid sat down with The Post’s Niem Chheng for an exclusive interview before leaving the country. I am positive that you knew Cambodia quite well before your visit, our history, legacy, the war,…
Analysts and observers of regional politics have noted several key takeaways from the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings, which Cambodia recently hosted. It was the first time in two years that the summit was held in-person, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 55th AMM officially kicked off on August 3, followed by related meetings such as the ASEAN partnership meetings between the US, China, Japan, Russia and Australia, to name just a few of the countries whose top diplomats were present in Phnom Penh on August 3-5. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn…
A senior Cambodian official deplores the US Department of State’s report regarding the situation on human trafficking in Cambodia, which saw it slip from the Tier 2 status to Tier 3. Chou Bun Eng, Ministry of Interior secretary of state and permanent vice-chair of the National Committee on Counter-Trafficking (NCCT), told The Post on July 20 that the contents of the Trafficking in Persons [TIP] Report for July 2022 were the opposite of what the Cambodian government had actually been doing to address the issue. The US report, released on July 19, stated: “The government of Cambodia does not fully…