Hun Sen gets Covid, shuns G20, APEC summits

Prime Minister Hun Sen said he has tested positive for Covid-19 in Indonesia. SPM

Prime Minister Hun Sen said he has tested positive for Covid-19 in Indonesia, where he is slated to attend the G20 summit in his capacity of the ASEAN chair.

In a social media post addressing the Cambodian public, he said: “Before leaving Cambodia, I always take Covid-19 tests. And before departing this time, I also took a rapid test and the result was negative.

“I am unaware as to when I got infected. But when I arrived in Indonesia, I had my specimen tested and this morning it was confirmed to be Covid-19 positive. I have to accept this although I don’t have any uncommon symptom,” he said.

Hun Sen planned to have a dinner meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on the evening of November 14 in Indonesia on the sidelines of the G20 summit, but he said the meeting did not happen as he was late.

He said that to ensure safety for other leaders, he and all members of his delegation have now decided to return to Cambodia and hand over the ASEAN chairmanship to Indonesia for the summit. Indonesia is the next ASEAN rotating chair.

Hun Sen also expects to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Informal Dialogue in Thailand on November 18 but has now cancelled it too. He said he would now continue working in Cambodia with all planned in-person meetings cancelled.

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