Cambodia Tells UN: 20,000 Displaced Citizens 'Deserve to Return Home'

PHNOM PENH — Oct. 14, 2026: More than 20,000 Cambodian internally displaced persons affected by the border conflict desire and deserve to return home in safety and dignity, Cambodia has told the United Nations General Assembly, noting that their children eagerly await returning to their original schools.

H.E. Yaung Chansophea, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cambodia to the UN, made the statement during the General Discussion on the Report of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees at the Third Committee of the 81st Session of the General Assembly in New York on Oct. 12, 2026.

The Deputy Permanent Representative underscored the growing challenges of forced displacement and the need for strengthened international cooperation and solidarity to address these issues. He also recognised the indispensable role of UNHCR during humanitarian needs.

He brought to the meeting's attention that the displaced Cambodians affected by the border conflict desire and deserve to return home in safety and dignity, stressing that the children of the displaced eagerly await returning to their original schools.

H.E. Yaung Chansophea said Cambodia continues to call for international attention, cooperation and humanitarian support for affected populations, while reaffirming the importance of international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity as bedrock principles.

The statement follows Cambodia's separate intervention at the 77th Session of the UNHCR Executive Committee in Geneva, where Ambassador Ke Sovann highlighted that more than 20,000 Cambodians remain unable to return home due to the continued occupation of Cambodian territory by Thai armed forces.

Source: Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations

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Reported by The Khmer Today