“I am delighted to have learnt that Your Excellency has been appointed as the premier of the state council of the People’s Republic of China. On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia and people of Cambodia, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Your Exceliency on this auspicious occasion and convey my best wishes for tremendous success to Your Excellency, government, and people of the People’s Republic of China,” according to the letter seen by Fresh News on Saturday (Mar 11).

“Entrusting Your Excellency with this significant and noble position is a clear reflection of the trust and confidence the government, the Communist Party and people of China have placed upon Your Excellency. I firmly believe that, with Your Excellency’s wise leadership and vast experience, China will continue to achieve its long-term development goals, advance the great rejuvenation, and play a more vital role on the international stage”.

Read in full below.

“On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Cambodian people, I would like to express, with great pleasure, my heartfelt congratulations to Your Excellency on your re-election for the third term as the President of the People’s Republic of China,” according to the letter seen by Fresh News on Saturday (Mar 11)

“Cambodia and China have been enjoying remarkable growth of cooperation in all aspects and have maintained frequent high-level exchanges of visits. The concurrences reached during our meeting last month have injected fresh impetus into advancing our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation. Given our ironclad friendship, Cambodia stands ready to work closely with China to foster our Diamond Cooperation Framework and deepen the building of Cambodia-China Community with a Shared Future for the common interests of our countries and our peoples as well as for stability, peace, and development in the region and beyond”.

Read in full below.

“On behalf of the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia, I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to Your Excellency, and through you, to the bereaved family, as well as the Japanese people on this tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with Your Excellency and the Japanese people in this time of grief,” according to the letter seen by Fresh News on Friday (Jul 8).

Read in full below.

Dear Compatriots,

Today is the last day for the 5th term commune/Sangkat election campaign. The time followed will be the tranquility day, in addition to the circular I issued calling for a ban on drinking and sale of alcohol on election day. I would like to take this opportunity to address and appeal to my compatriots, even though Covid-19 has dwindled and absent from our country for almost a month, when you go to the polls, please, my compatriots, do not forget to bring along your alcohol (and/or gel disinfectants) to wash your hands, to put on masks and keep a good distance to avoid the risk of recurrence on election day, which can lead to re-infection.

Tomorrow is a nationwide rally day for people of voting age. I would take this opportunity to thank the Commune/Sangkat council of the fourth mandate, which will come to end of term in the next few days. It is known to all that during the transition period of Covid-19, the commune/Sangkat councils that you elected in 2017 had served/protected the people very well. Vaccination is provided through the commune/Sangkat (as well as) the village itself, which helped the country to have everyone gotten his/her vaccine. I do not forget that in the flood situations, including Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu, Pursat, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey, our commune/Sangkat had worked hard to serve the people at that time. In times that we had to lockdown some areas the local authorities had had to do a lot to serve the people. I will never forget that the provision of assistance must be made through the direct guidance and attention of our Commune/Sangkat. The story is unforgettable for the merits you have done in the past.

Some of our commune/Sangkat councils will be re-elected and some will not due to age (and/or) not running for office. However, for the past 5 years, you are really tired that I thank you all. For a large number of you may be re-elected to go on serving our people. Of course, some mistakes are inevitable in the past, but compared to the good deeds that commune/Sangkat councilors have made in the past, the advantage is far greater compared to the sporadic disadvantages.

I thank all the commune/Sangkat councilors for their good works in the past. I trust that the commune/Sangkat councils, which have not yet finished their terms continue to take care of the people in the period of the upcoming election process, especially the implementation of the circular related to abstinence from alcohol, as well as the implementation of health measures “3 Dos and 3 Don’ts.”

I thank once again the commune/Sangkat councilors/members who have made great sacrifices for the lives of our people without discrimination irrespective of political parties, especially in the phase of governing Covid-19 and giving vaccination to protect people’s lives. Thanks to the responsibility taken by members of commune/Sangkat councils, we have been able to reduce the number of deaths/infections until we reach this stage of recording no Covid-19 in almost a month now. This is an respected dedication. We have acknowledged that some of our commune/Sangkat councilors/members did not meet their wives/children for a while owing to the need to be in quarantined […] They had to stay away in other places […]

While families’ members of commune/Sangkat councilors were also facing with difficulties, the commune/Sangkat council members themselves were trying to find ways to help save the general population. This is a high spirit of devotion that I will not forget and thank the members of the commune/Sangkat council who are nearing the end of their terms, and some will usher in a new term, as some of whom will be re-elected and some of whom will not because they do not get the nomination or not re-elected. I thank the participation of CPP commune/Sangkat councilors in particular, and the commune/Sangkat councilors of the fourth term in general for their contributions to the good of our country in overcoming this crisis.

Once again, I am calling on all monks, nuns, compatriots, to pay attention to personal safety on the spread of Covid-19 on election day, and to bring with you a bottle of alcohol or gel for hand disinfection after the vote. Whenever possible, those it is no longer compulsory to wear a mask, it is safer to have it on, while trying to keep social distance as (the polls stations are) places where there will be crowd of people from various places.

I would like to thank all the compatriots who participated in performing the works during the election campaign making the country run a calm and peaceful election campaign. I thank all the political parties that participated in implementing the law on the organization of the election process and the instructions of the National Election Committee. We hope that all political parties will join together for the success of the multi-party liberal democratic process in our country on Sunday (June 5, 2022). I hope that we will all accept the election results that the people will give us.

Finally, I thank the commune/Sangkat councilors who have been working towards the end of their terms, especially in the anti-Covid-19 campaign efforts to make sure people receive treatment, testing as well as vaccination for everyone./.

MESSAGE Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia on the 8^th National Nutrition Day (6 November 2021) under the theme “Strengthening the food systems for sustainable development”

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– Venerable Samdech Supreme Patriarchs, all venerable Monks,

– Dear Beloved Compatriots,

On the auspicious celebration of the 8^th National Nutrition Day under the theme of “Strengthening the Food Systems for Sustainable Development”, I am very pleased and wish to extend my support to the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, relevant ministries and institutions, development partners, civil society and private sector that have jointly organized this important national day. The National Nutrition Day is celebrated annually on 6 November with the aim to educate and raise public awareness throughout the country about the importance of food security and nutrition in contributing to the development of human capital, increased employment efficiency, promotion of economic growth and social progress.

For this year’s National Nutrition Day, the Royal Government has selected the theme “Strengthening the Food Systems for Sustainable Development” while the global food system is being impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, natural disasters and crises, and when the United Nations held a Summit on Food Systems in New York on 23 September 2021, which offered an opportunity for all members states of the United Nations and global leaders of relevant organizations to reiterate their commitments, launch action plans for economic and social recovery from Covid 19 crisis, and prepare their Roadmaps for Food Systems for Sustainable Development 2030, to make the food system more stronger and more equitable, economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, and ultimately drive progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations for people, planet and prosperity.

In Cambodia, the Royal Government has participated in this important Food System Summit, presented its commitments and launched the Cambodia’s Roadmap for Food Systems for Sustainable Development 2030 based on the results of the food system dialogues and analysis, and has linked it with the existing policy frameworks and strategies. To achieve the Vision of the Sustainable Food System in Cambodia by 2030, which provides food security and nutrition for all, and bearing in mind the economic, social and environmental sustainability, the Royal Government of Cambodia has identified the following four priorities:

 First, promoting healthy diet for all to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, the Royal Government of Cambodia will continue to work across key sectors to ensure that healthy diets and safe food are accessible to all address all forms of malnutrition. Achieving this objective requires multi-sectoral actions including: ensuring food and nutrition security; expansion of access to health and nutrition services especially for mothers and young infants under 2 years old, focusing on promoting exclusive breastfeeding, providing diversified complementary foods to infants and young children and increasing diversified diets for mothers; creating job opportunities; consumers awareness and education; diverse, inclusive and modern agriculture and food value chains, including fortification of staple foods, diversifying crops in an inclusive and competitive manner; clean drinking water, sanitation and good hygiene practices through awareness raising and enhancement of quality of relevant systems such as agricultural, industrial, trade, health and environmental systems; and the provision of social assistance.

 Second, empowerment of youth, women and the vulnerable people, the Royal Government of Cambodia will promote gender equality; decent employment; enterprise development; creation of job opportunities for youth, women and vulnerable people; provide opportunity for youth to participate in policy dialogues; promote the use of digital systems; research and development and innovation; support vulnerable, youth and women who own small and medium enterprises; strengthen and expand vocational training programs, formal and informal education, youth associations and women’s associations, to respond to the transition of food systems and development of the nation.

 Third, strengthening resilience of livelihoods and food systems in response to crises and problems that may arise in the future, the Royal Government will continue its work to address vulnerabilities, to reduce poverty and strengthen the resilience of stakeholders, employment networks and infrastructure to support livelihoods and the food systems. The Royal Government will continue to support indigenous communities, youth, women, small holder farmers and small and medium enterprises in the areas of production and food processing, to strengthen the livelihoods of rural people for increased resilience. In addition, the Royal Government will continue to use the Cambodian Food Reserve System, the Social Assistance Program and implement a One-Health approach in response to crises.

Fourth, strengthening governance to make food systems more inclusive, the Royal Government will continue to organize dialogues for coordination and collaboration with all stakeholders at the international, national, sub-national and community levels, as well as strengthen collaboration between the Royal Government, development partners, civil society, the private sector, agriculture cooperatives and educational institutions to ensure that food systems are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of consumers, especially vulnerable and indigenous peoples. The Royal Government will continue to establish and strengthen the Provincial Working Groups for Food Security and Nutrition, organize National Nutrition Day events and establish Nutrition Youth Champions at sub-national level. In parallel, relevant ministries and institutions will continue to strengthen the implementation of relevant existing regulations and standards related to the food safety and quality management; and the passage of the Food Safety Law to improve governance in food systems.

Dear Beloved Compatriots,

In the context of COVID-19 crisis, Cambodia is not only able to avoid the food crisis but has taken this opportunity to strengthen its food system through several measures to supply safe and quality agricultural produce and food to regional and global markets. The Royal Government is highly committed, founded on peace and political stability, which creates a strong environment for achieving Cambodia’s vision for a sustainable Food System 2030. The Royal Government of Cambodia has been actively involved in regional and global cooperation frameworks, such as the issue of the Joint Statement on Nutrition in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, implementing the Global Action Plan for child wasting, becoming a member of the Global SUN Movement, supporting the Nutrition for Growth and Food Systems Dialogues and implementation of the Global Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative of the United Nations. As Chair of ASEAN in 2022, the Royal Government of Cambodia will continue to accelerate the process of building the ASEAN Community and maintain the roles of ASEAN as an important region for global trade, investment, and supply chains.  The Royal Government of Cambodia will continue to strengthen the cooperation with other countries to promote food systems which are stronger and more resilient to vulnerabilities and crisis; protection of environment and reduction of climate change impacts through green development in food system.

Before I conclude, on the occasion of the 8^th National Nutrition Day under the theme of “Strengthening the Food System for Sustainable Development”, I call on all relevant line ministries-institutions, sub-national administrations, development partners, civil society organizations, the private sector and all citizens to join with the Royal Government of Cambodia, which has the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development as its secretariat to coordinate food security and nutrition and food systems, by stepping up our joint efforts to implement the priority action plans in the Second National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition 2019-2023 and Cambodia’s Roadmap for Food Systems for Sustainable Development 2030, towards achieving the sustainable development goals without leaving anyone behind, especially the second goal to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”

Finally, I wish Samdech Supreme Patriarchs, venerable monks and all beloved compatriots stay safe from Covid-19 and four gems of Buddha’s blessing: Longevity, Nobility, Health, and Strength as always.

Phnom Penh, November 2, 2021

                                                                                                             HUN SEN

Samdech, His Excellency, Lok Chumteav

We decided to vaccinate children from 6 to 12 years old. If we do not vaccinate children from 6 to 12 years old, we will not be able to open the primary school because this is the age of the primary school, and we now have only reopened secondary school, so it poses difficulty. In addition, the vaccine has been studied in different countries and has already been given to children under 12 years of age. Therefore, the problem of vaccination is not complex. On the one hand, the vaccine is allowed to be injected. On the other hand, we already have the vaccine in hand. According to the preliminary statistics provided by HE Aun Porn Moniroth, the number of children is only around 1.8 million.

So I decided to launch another campaign this Friday to vaccinate children aged 6 to 12-year-olds after we almost finished vaccinating children and adolescents from 12 to 17 and 18. We are now launching a campaign starting at the age of 6 to 12, and we need to launch this campaign across the country. We will start it at the Peace Palace at the national level, as we did for children and adolescents in the past. After that, I will have a press conference. Please, Excellencies, Lok Chumteav, especially in the health sector, as well as to the Committee for Vaccination throughout the country, as well as the Sub-Committee on Vaccination in the capital/province, be prepared to organize the distribution of vaccines and organize medical teams to implement the vaccination campaign for more than 1.8 million children between the ages of 6 and 12, or nearly 1.9 million, which is due to begin this Friday.

So, we should not have any significant problem because we already have a team of doctors at each locations and we already have Sinovac vaccine for the injection, so be prepared for the additional preparation which in the past, parents and guardians accompanied their children and teenagers from 12 to 18 years to inject. Now, in addition, parents and guardians need to get children from 6 to 12 years old for injections. We already have the vaccination site. The closed vaccination site should also be reopened to vaccinate our children, which our children and adolescents have so far been vaccinated more than 1.7 million.

We do this so that children who have to go to primary school can go without fear since they have been vaccinated. Otherwise, the age range of 6 to 12 years may be out of touch since previously we only required for secondary school. But we move step by step. And the next step we are thinking of is for children in kindergarten from 3 to 6 years old. That is the next step, but now we need to address the issue of vaccination for children aged 6 to 12, which will give our children the opportunity to attend primary school, which will be reopened after the reopening of secondary, high school, and university that we have been doing today.

Please prepare for this Friday. I will launching (the campaign) at the national level at the Peace Palace (in Phnom Penh). I would like to ask His Excellency Lok Chumteav to bring their children and grandchildren to go to the Peace Palace (for their vaccinations) under the auspices of the Ministry of Health. Thank you!

“In the spirit of friendship and solidarity between our two countries, in addition to Cambodia’s pledge of USD100,000 for the ASEAN humanitarian assistance to Myanmar through AHA Centre, I would like to donate USD 200,000 in cash from the Royal Government of Cambodia. We will also donate medical equipment which includes: 3 million Face Masks, 500,000 Rapid Tests, Personal Protection Equipment- PPE 2.000 sets, 100 units of Oxygen Concentrator, 20 units of Ventilator Machine and 20 units of Patient Monitor + Accessories as enclosed herewith, to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.”

Read in full below.

1. Today marks another auspicious day for all the ASEAN people as we proudly commemorate the 54th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Together, we have embarked on a long and fulfilling journey to nurture the growth of this regional organisation into a closely-knitted and people-oriented entity. In over five decades, ASEAN has expanded membership to all but one regional nations, promoted political, economic and social integration among members and with its partners, and continued to project itself as one of the most dynamic and most vibrant grouping in the world in terms of economic potentials and comparative advantage. Holding the helm of ASEAN Chairmanship this year, Brunei Darussalam aspires to take the ASEAN process forward under the banner “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”, a theme most befitting for the current daunting geopolitical and socio-economic challenges on the path toward realizing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
2. ASEAN was created to safeguard and advance peaceful development and serve as a platform for enhancing the well-being and livelihood of the peoples in the region. The spirit of mutual respect for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, equality and non-interference which Member States have forged since 1967, along with the consensus-based approach continue to be the fundamental guiding principles of our community building process. framework, we have been able to maximize opportunities to cultivate friendly ties For this reason, ASEAN has always been an integral part of Cambodia’s foreign policy. Through ASEAN and cooperation with countries in the region and external partners around the globe for the sake of upholding durable peace, security, prosperity, and national development across all spectrums.
3. As a regional grouping, ASEAN has so far been successful in ensuring that its people enjoy relative peace, stability, security and steady development. Economically, ASEAN has made significant progress to become the third largest economy in Asia and the sixth largest in the world. Now, ASEAN is facing a huge obstacle on its path. The severe effect of COVID-19 pandemic since early last year has largely pushed regional and global economies into recession and caused immense hardship to people’s life. At the same time, growing geo-political competition and rivalry between major powers that has escalated into trade and technology war are putting greater pressure on peace, security and further prosperity on ASEAN as whole. This is not to mention a host of existing and emerging non-traditional issues that ASEAN is confronting, such as the challenge due to the fast transformation of technology, climate change, environmental degradation, transnational crimes including illicit drug and human trafficking and terrorism.
4. It is against this backdrop that Cambodia will, in less than five months, take on its role of ASEAN Chairmanship for the third time since joining the association in 1999. During its chairmanship year in 2022, Cambodia will endeavour to promote an action-oriented approach that is based on openness, honesty, good faith, solidarity, and harmony within ASEAN to effectively address the common challenges facing our region. More importantly, with the support and strong solidarity of ASEAN Member States and its external partners, Cambodia will seek to ensure tangibility of benefits for the peoples across the whole region, without leaving anyone behind.
5. A foreseeable priority for us is to ensure more satisfactory outcomes of ASEAN efforts to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our immediate task is to further intensify cooperation in implementing various measures under the five broad strategies of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, namely (1) Enhancing health systems; (2) Strengthening human security; (3) Maximizing the potential of the intra-ASEAN market and broader economic integration; (4) Accelerating inclusive digital information; and (5) Advancing toward a more sustainable and resilient future.
6. Cambodia aims to further advance ASEAN Community building process with emphasis on fulfilling all agreed key targets and initiatives under the three ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025, including the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025), and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan IV (IAI Work Plan IV). At the same time, we resolve to sustain ASEAN as a region of critical importance for global trade, investment and supply chains through, among others, generating maximum benefits from the existing Free Trade Agreements and recently signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
7. As we prepare groundwork for the Post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision, Cambodia will continue to push for a more vibrant and harmonious ASEAN Community. We will seek to enhance the protection of migrant workers and increase support for green and inclusive development agenda. The digital transformation of the MSMEs and women and youth entrepreneurship do merit our focus in this regard. MSMEs are the backbone of our region’s economy; they account for up to 99% of businesses, the majority are women-owned (60% in Cambodia), and employ more than 80% of the workforce in ASEAN countries. Therefore, supporting these areas not only engenders inclusive recovery and growth, but also ensures that the UN SDGs targets are not missed.
8. While women’s role beyond socio-economic development is well recognized, Cambodia will work to support Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda. Further afield, we aspire to promote ASEAN’s international profile and proactive contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operations and peace building, including through humanitarian aspects of landmines – an area where ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) can play a significant role.
9. Cambodia cherishes ASEAN as an outward-looking organization. While seeking to bind all Southeast Asian nations as a strong family, we will strive to further deepen and broaden relations and cooperation with external partners in the spirit of equality, mutual interest and respect. Cambodia will explore the possibility of elevating partnerships with existing ASEAN Dialogue Partners and expanding the list of external partners on the basis of ASEAN principles, including those outlined under the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). To overcome the negative geopolitical trend, we resolve to promote the agendas that nurture collaborative spirit and support for ASEAN centrality and regional tranquility and progress.
10. I hope that as we raise the ASEAN flag today, everyone is reminded of how far we have come over a half century and how proud we, as the people of ASEAN, have been since its inception. As we continue on this journey together, I am confident that ASEAN is well prepared to overcome all the unprecedented challenges in order to prove once again that we have the determination and capability to further strengthen and promote peace, stability, security and prosperity in the region for the well-being of our peoples.

HAPPY ASEAN DAY

The full royal message dated July 22 reads as follows:

“I was distressed to learn of the loss of lives and that tens of thousands of people have been evacuated to shelters, caused by torrential rains which battered central China’s Zhengzhou City and more than a dozen of cities in Henan province.

In this hour of national grief and sorrow, Her Majesty Queen Mother NORODOM MONINEATH SIHANOUK, the Royal Family and the people of Cambodia join me to convey our most sincere condolences and sympathies to Your Excellency and to the families of the victims.

We are confident that Your Excellency, the Communist Party, the State Council, the People’s Liberation Army and the great and heroic citizens of the People’s Republic of China will be able to overcome this difficult challenge.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Your Excellency, the family members of the victims as well as the people of China.”

According to Chinese News Agency Xinhua, over the past few days, record rainfalls in Henan have caused extensive waterlogging, with approximately 3 million people affected. The death toll from this natural disaster has risen to 25, with seven people missing.

By C. Nika