PM Hun Manet Marks 23rd International Day of Peace, Emphasizes Lessons from Border Disputes

On September 21, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet issued a statement on the occasion of the 23rd International Day of Peace (September 21, 2003 – September 21, 2026). The Prime Minister pointed out that the complete peace that the Cambodian government has strived to build over the past 26 years, with the broad support of the entire nation, is under severe threat and impact due to the war along the Cambodia-Thailand border. He stated that this conflict has claimed lives and affected the livelihoods of people in the border areas, leading to thousands of families becoming displaced and unable to return to their original homes. He emphasized that the bitter historical experience and the current global situation clearly demonstrate that international law alone cannot guarantee peace without genuine political will and high commitment in practical implementation. Cambodia consistently adheres to the stance of respecting sovereignty and equality between states, eradicating the culture of using force, faithfully fulfilling international obligations, promoting cooperation and multilateral mechanisms, and especially choosing peaceful and international law-compliant methods for dispute resolution. Prime Minister Manet described peace as Cambodia's lifeline, enabling the nation to rebuild and develop, reduce poverty, advance economic and social infrastructure, and integrate more deeply into the region and the world. He expressed pride that under the UN umbrella, Cambodia has contributed to global peacekeeping missions, deploying a total of 10,912 peacekeepers (including 1,082 women) since 2006 to 10 countries: Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Mali, Yemen, and Congo. Despite facing continuous external crisis pressures, Cambodia has maintained strong macroeconomic stability and accelerated economic diversification, strengthened domestic production capacity, and invested in logistics, energy security, and infrastructure connectivity. The Cambodian economy is projected to achieve a growth rate of around 4.1% in 2026. However, economic growth alone is not the ultimate goal. The government desires this growth to directly translate into more job creation, increased income, genuine skill development, improved quality and accessibility of essential public services, and a confident bright future for all citizens. Having gone through the pain and dire consequences of war, and recent impacts of invasion and sovereignty violations, Cambodia understands more profoundly the invaluable price of peace, the vast opportunities it creates, and the fragility of peace that must be collectively preserved and protected. Source: CEN Cambodia