Cambodia's National Assembly Unanimously Approves Cebu Protocol to Amend ASEAN Charter

PHNOM PENH — Sept. 22, 2026: Cambodia's National Assembly on Monday unanimously approved the draft law endorsing the Cebu Protocol to Amend the ASEAN Charter, with all 112 lawmakers present voting in favour.

The Cebu Protocol was signed by the foreign ministers of all 10 ASEAN member states on Oct. 28, 2010, in Cebu, the Philippines, to address gaps in the original ASEAN Charter adopted in 2007, specifically under Articles 48 and 50.

The protocol establishes a clear legal mechanism for amending and updating the annexes of the ASEAN Charter — including institutional structures and the roles and functions of the ASEAN Secretariat and related bodies — allowing changes to be made more quickly and flexibly in response to evolving circumstances, without requiring a full-scale amendment of the Charter's main provisions.

For Cambodia, parliamentary approval of the draft law serves two purposes. The first is to fulfil the country's international obligations by completing the domestic procedure required under the Cambodian Constitution, paving the way for the instrument of ratification to be deposited with the ASEAN Secretary-General. The second is to reinforce the rule of law within the ASEAN framework, demonstrating Cambodia's firm commitment to supporting a rules-based ASEAN and to ensuring the regional mechanism operates with greater efficiency.

Source: Ministry of Information

https://www.information.gov.kh/articles/202303

Reported by The Khmer Today