Phnom Penh Declaration Adopted at ICCOS-2026, Committing to 11 Actions Against Online Scam Networks

PHNOM PENH, Sept 24, 2026 (KPT) — The International Conference on Combating Online Scams has concluded in Phnom Penh with the adoption of the Phnom Penh Declaration, setting out 11 commitments to strengthen global action against scam networks and related transnational crimes. The declaration calls for coordinated national, regional and global responses to break criminal chains, disrupt illicit financial flows, recover assets, and dismantle scam compounds and related infrastructure. It also commits countries to strengthen policy and legal frameworks, leverage technology, build law‑enforcement capacity, deepen public‑private partnerships and improve victim protection. Victim support was highlighted, with pledges to protect trafficked and vulnerable people and apply the non‑punishment principle for victims coerced into criminal activity. The two‑day conference, hosted by Cambodia and co‑sponsored by UNODC, INTERPOL and the Lancang‑Mekong Law Enforcement Center, brought together more than 600 participants from 28 countries and seven international organisations. Prime Minister Hun Manet opened the meeting, declaring that “scam compounds no longer exist in Cambodia” and stressing the Kingdom would never be a safe haven for online scams. He reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to pursuing perpetrators, disrupting networks and seizing criminal assets, while warning that scams are a transnational crime requiring international cooperation. Delegates noted Cambodia’s enforcement efforts over the past year, including inspections at 832 locations, 446 cases referred to court involving nearly 4,000 suspects, and the deportation of more than 22,000 foreign nationals. Officials warned networks are adapting through decentralised cells and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, underscoring the need for sustained global action. Participants stressed that disruption alone is not enough — criminal groups must be denied the space, financial channels and infrastructure to operate. Cambodia pledged to work with partners to translate the commitments into practical measures and prevent scam networks from re‑emerging. Source: Kampuchea Thmey English