Cambodian National Assembly Refers 4 Key Draft Laws to Specialized Committees

On September 4, 2026, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Cambodia, chaired by President Khuon Sudary, convened a meeting and decided to refer four key draft laws related to the justice sector and international cooperation to specialized committees for further review and research. The draft laws submitted are as follows: 1. Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Lawyers: This has been assigned to the National Assembly's Law and Justice Committee (Committee No. 6) for examination and reporting back to the Standing Committee before being submitted to the plenary session of the National Assembly. 2. Draft Law on Ratification of the Protocol to Amend the Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): This will be reviewed by the Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Information Committee (Committee No. 5) in collaboration with the Law and Justice Committee. 3. Draft Law on Ratification of the Convention on the Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on the Rights and Immunities of the Secretariat, Personnel, and Representatives of the Members: This has been referred to the Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Information Committee of the National Assembly. 4. Draft Law on Ratification of the Agreement between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Russian Federation on Mutual Protection in the Field of International Criminal Justice: This will be examined by the Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Information Committee, in cooperation with the Law and Justice Committee of the National Assembly. In addition to the referral of these four draft laws, the Standing Committee meeting also approved the National Assembly's budget expenditure plan for 2027, which has been forwarded to the Ministry of Economy and Finance to be included in the national budget in accordance with the Law on the Public Financial System. These legislative reviews are seen as part of Cambodia's efforts to strengthen its legal framework and enhance international cooperation. The agreement with Russia on criminal justice cooperation, in particular, is indicative of deepening bilateral ties amidst current geopolitical shifts. The ASEAN-related bills also highlight the need for domestic legislative adjustments in line with regional integration progress.