Cambodia Backs French-Speaking Parliamentarians' Bid for UN Observer Status

Cambodia is actively supporting the application of the Parliament of French-speaking Countries (APF) to obtain observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. A high-level delegation from the APF is currently in New York to lobby for support for this request, with a Cambodian delegation led by Senate Vice-President Ouch Borith also participating. The mission is led by Mrs. Nathalie Roy, President of the APF and Speaker of the Quebec National Assembly. During the mission, which took place from September 8 to 9, 2026, the APF delegation held discussions with representatives from numerous countries, including Brazil, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Angola, Burundi, Ukraine, and Djibouti. Discussions also involved representatives from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) and the group of French-speaking countries' ambassadors to the United Nations. During these meetings, Mr. Ouch Borith, First Vice-President of the Cambodian Senate, President of the Cambodian National Assembly Group of the APF, and APF representative for the Asia-Pacific region, emphasized that observer status would strengthen the role of parliamentary diplomacy by allowing the voices of parliamentarians and citizens to participate more actively in multilateral dialogue. He stated that the APF, with its 100 members from five continents, can make a significant contribution to promoting peace, democracy, human rights, education, health, gender equality, and sustainable development. Mr. Borith also shared Cambodia's experience of having gone through war and its deep understanding of the value of peace. He affirmed Cambodia's continued support for peaceful conflict resolution in accordance with the UN Charter and international law, as well as its ongoing contributions to peacekeeping and demining missions. It is noteworthy that the APF's request was officially submitted by Djibouti and has received support from Cambodia and several partner countries. During this mission, representatives from many countries also expressed positive views on the proposal. According to information released by the Senate, Cambodia will continue to cooperate closely with the APF leadership, the Permanent Mission of Djibouti, the International Organization of La Francophonie, and partner countries to promote this request and enhance the role of parliamentary diplomacy in serving peace, cooperation, and multilateralism.