Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn will lead the Cambodian delegation as the representative of Prime Minister Hun Sen at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (Unga 74), which begins on Tuesday.
An analyst said the session, which will conclude on Saturday, presents an opportunity for the government to outline the realities in the Kingdom to the international community.
Unga 74 will be held under the theme “Galvanising Multilateral Efforts for Poverty Reduction, Quality Education, Climate Action and Inclusion”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.
Sokhonn, who is also deputy prime minister, will deliver a statement focusing on Cambodia’s socio-economic development, Millennium Development Goal achievements and efforts towards meeting its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
It will also focus on the importance of collective efforts in tackling climate change, terrorism, extremism, radicalism and non-conventional security threats.
Sokhonn’s address would also look at the world order, multilateralism, the role of international law and the dangers of fake news, as well as regional and international issues of common interest and concern, the ministry said.
Ministry spokesman Ket Sophann told The Post on Sunday that Cambodia’s participation in Unga 74 represented an active member complying with the UN Charter and respecting the multilateral system.
“Although Cambodia is a small country, it has a role to play with other members in addressing key global affairs,” Sophann said.
Sokhonn is expected to have meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as the Russian and Czech foreign affairs ministers, among others, the ministry said.
Kin Phea, the director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post on Sunday that speaking at Unga 74 was an opportunity for Cambodia to make UN members understand the ongoing realities in the Kingdom.
Cambodia could also express its views on regional and international issues, he said.
“As part of the foreign policy journey, the Cambodian government has laid out its strategies to widen the scope of diplomatic relations in the regional and international frameworks.
“The former Cambodia National Rescue Party [CNRP] has criticised the legitimacy of the government, accusing it of holding 'fake elections' and 'killing democracy'.
“This is an opportunity, a year after the formation of the new government, to outline to the international community the Cambodian position and the Kingdom's role in the region,” Phea said.
Political analyst Em Sovannara agreed that Unga 74 could be an opportunity for Cambodia to gain support from the international community.
“It will remind the EU and the US to look at the human rights situation as raised by Cambodia,” he told The Post on Sunday.
