PM Hun Manet Marks International Peace Day, Calls for Peaceful Resolution of Border Tensions

Phnom Penh — Sept. 21, 2026: Prime Minister Hun Manet issued a message marking International Peace Day, reaffirming Cambodia's commitment to peace and calling on Thailand to resolve border tensions through international law.

In his message, the Prime Minister noted that the United Nations designated Sept. 21 as International Peace Day in 2001, and that countries worldwide, including Cambodia, use the occasion to reaffirm their commitment to peace and honour those who sacrificed for it. This year's UN theme is "Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Anytime."

The Prime Minister expressed deep gratitude to soldiers and armed forces who sacrificed their lives to protect the nation and its people, and thanked Cambodians for their solidarity in supporting peace.

He recalled Cambodia's painful history — independence in 1953, the devastation of civil war, and the Khmer Rouge genocide that killed more than 3 million people and destroyed the country's social, cultural and economic infrastructure. The victory of Jan. 7, 1979, saved the nation from the Khmer Rouge, but civil war continued until the 1991 peace agreement and UN peacekeeping operations. It was only through the "win-win policy" of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Prime Minister said, that Cambodia fully ended nearly three decades of civil war and achieved complete peace and national unity — described as the most valuable historical achievement in more than 500 years.

However, the Prime Minister warned that this peace has been threatened by the war along the Cambodia-Thailand border, which has claimed lives, affected border communities, and left thousands of families unable to return home. He reaffirmed Cambodia's call for Thailand to respect agreed commitments, resolve border issues peacefully based on international law, reduce tensions and restore peace along the border, and for both peoples to coexist harmoniously as good neighbours.

The Prime Minister highlighted Cambodia's role in global peacekeeping under the UN. Since 2006, Cambodia has sent 10,912 peacekeepers — including 1,082 women — to missions in 10 countries: Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Mali, Yemen and Congo. He also noted that despite external pressures, Cambodia has maintained macroeconomic stability, with economic growth projected at 4.1 percent in 2026.

He noted that in mid-November, Cambodia will host the 20th Francophonie Summit under the theme "Together Continuing to Build Peace for Prosperity and Long-Term Stability." Leaders of 93 member states will gather in Phnom Penh to discuss reducing geopolitical tensions and strengthening multilateral cooperation for lasting peace. He closed by reaffirming Cambodia's commitment to peace, sovereignty, equality and peaceful dispute resolution without the use of force.

Sources:

Royal Government of Cambodia — https://pressocm.gov.kh/archives/126497

United Nations — https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace

Reported by The Khmer Today