A high-ranking government official said on Tuesday that the executive secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Unescap), Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, has acknowledged Cambodia’s “development in all sectors”.

Prime Minister Hun Sen is expected to hold an “annual dialogue” session with the UN team next month.

Alisjahbana paid a one-day visit to the Kingdom on Tuesday and, during a meeting with the prime minister, she acknowledged “the peace, security and development in Cambodia”, the official said.

“Her Excellency Alisjahbana told Prime Minister Hun Sen that Unescap acknowledges the peace, security and development in Cambodia. She said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodia has achieved full peace, security and safety. Moreover, Cambodia has been developing in all sectors."

“Her Excellency thanked Prime Minister Hun Sen for creating a committee to facilitate Unescap’s work. The committee was formed in 2008 and has been working closely with Unescap and the government of Cambodia."

“She said Unescap is satisfied to further cooperate with Cambodia, both bilaterally or within the Asean framework, to join together in pushing to meet the UN’s [2030] Sustainable Development Goals,” Eang Sophalleth, Hun Sen’s personal assistant, told reporters after the meeting at the Peace Palace.

Hun Sen told Alisjahbana that there were not many countries that had formed a committee to work with Unescap. Cambodia not only worked with Unescap but also with other UN agencies, Sophalleth said.

Cambodia has annual meetings with UN teams and these have now become a forum. The meetings with UN teams were aimed at improving cooperation and increasing efficiency.

South-south cooperation

Alisjahbana also met Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn at the ministry on Tuesday.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ket Sophann told Fresh News that Hun Sen has set May 6 as the date to hold the annual dialogue with the UN team.

He said three topics would be discussed – social protection, social development data and the annual report Cambodia would submit to the UN in July.

“Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn has accepted the request of Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana in seeking support on south-south cooperation and the reform process of the UN Development Programme in Cambodia and the region,” Sophann said.

Sokhonn strongly supported cooperation between the UN team and the Cambodian government.

The UN in Cambodia said on Monday that Alisjahbana was also to have met Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth, Minister of Industry and Handicraft Cham Prasidh and Minister of Planning Chhay Than.

“The executive secretary’s visit is part of her ongoing efforts to meet with leaders from the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on Asean, covered under Unescap’s mandate for social and economic development."

“This is the executive secretary’s first visit to Cambodia,” the UN in Cambodia said.

Veronika Janouchova at the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator said on Tuesday that Alisjahbana would leave Cambodia on Wednesday morning, with a press conference on the results of her visit to be delivered later that day.