Cambodia has officially announced its decision to join the newly formed Peace Council as a founding member. This significant move comes following an invitation extended by then-US President Donald Trump. Notably, Cambodia’s participation as a founding member is set for a three-year term and will incur no financial cost to the nation.
The confirmation was made by Samdech Hun Manet, who publicly addressed the matter on his Facebook page on the morning of January 27th. His statement aimed to clarify and resolve any public inquiries regarding Cambodia’s financial commitments related to this international engagement.
Samdech Hun Manet specifically emphasized, “I would like to underscore that joining as a founding member of the Peace Council for a three-year term requires no budget. The reported $1 billion payment to the United States is exclusively for those seeking long-term, permanent membership.” He further elaborated that Cambodia’s participation in this initiative is a clear demonstration of its unwavering commitment to supporting and actively contributing to the promotion of global peacekeeping efforts.
The head of the Royal Government of Cambodia further articulated that a genuine love for peace, alongside a commitment to supporting and contributing to its establishment and maintenance, has always been a fundamental principle for Cambodia. The nation consistently upholds this commitment, notably through its longstanding practice of deploying peacekeepers under the United Nations umbrella to various missions in war-torn regions around the world.
It is worth recalling that this invitation originated from former US President Donald Trump, who dispatched a formal letter to Samdech Prime Minister Hun Manet. The letter invited Cambodia to become a founding state of the Peace Council and a signatory to its charter. In his letter, dated January 16, President Trump affirmed that this initiative represented a historic effort designed to foster peace in the Middle East and to facilitate global conflict resolution. The structure of the council is reportedly modeled after that of the United Nations. According to the foundational ‘Constitution’ of the Peace Council, President Trump would serve as its Chairman, with permanent membership requiring a contribution of $1 billion.
Samdech Hun Manet initially confirmed Cambodia’s intention to join as a founding member of the Peace Council during a meeting with Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, on January 26th.
