Phnom Penh, 4 June 2026 — Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, on Thursday morning received a courtesy call and held a working discussion with Ms. Vladanka Andreeva, United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom of Cambodia, at the National Assembly Palace.
 
The meeting reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting peace, advancing parliamentary modernization, and strengthening cooperation with the United Nations in sustainable development and institutional reform.
 
During the meeting, Samdech Khuon Sudary highly appreciated the invaluable support and meaningful contributions made by United Nations agencies in Cambodia, describing them as constructive and strategic partners in promoting peace, stability, social inclusion, and development since Cambodia’s post-conflict reconstruction.
 
Samdech noted that Cambodia deeply values the role of the United Nations in supporting peacebuilding and national recovery, emphasizing that Cambodia has transformed from a country once receiving United Nations peacekeeping assistance into an active contributor to international peacekeeping missions.
 
“Cambodia highly appreciates the role of the United Nations in supporting peace, stability, and development. Having experienced civil war, Cambodia fully understands the value of peace and remains committed to contributing to global peacekeeping efforts,” Samdech stated.
 
Samdech reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the guiding principle of “Leaving No One Behind,” emphasizing that the goals have been aligned with the Royal Government’s Pentagonal Strategy – Phase I, which prioritizes people, roads, water, electricity, and digital transformation.
 
Samdech noted that technology and innovation are key drivers of sustainable and inclusive development, while human capital remains a national priority through investment in education, skills, healthcare, and universal health coverage, with increased attention to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and preventive care.
 
Samdech further highlighted Cambodia’s achievements in advancing global development goals, including progress in reducing HIV/AIDS infections, expanding healthcare access, mine clearance, and releasing land for agriculture and livelihood improvement.
 
On gender equality, Samdech reaffirmed the National Assembly’s strong commitment to promoting women’s empowerment and leadership, highlighting Cambodia’s notable progress in expanding women’s participation in political leadership and decision-making roles.
 
“Samdech Techo Hun Sen, widely recognized as the ‘Father of Gender Equality in Cambodia,’ has played a pivotal role in advancing women’s rights and empowerment, not only by transforming traditional perceptions but also by promoting women into leadership and decision-making positions,” Samdech remarked.
 
Samdech also praised the successful implementation of the “Mock Parliament” Programme, supported by United Nations agencies and development partners, describing it as an important platform for promoting leadership among youth, particularly young women, and strengthening youth engagement in parliamentary democracy.
 
On digital transformation and institutional modernization, Samdech highlighted Cambodia’s efforts to harness technology and innovation as key drivers of national development through e-Parliament, e-Government, and the digital economy, emphasizing the responsible and effective use of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve governance, public service delivery, and institutional responsiveness.

Regarding parliamentary reform, Samdech informed the UN delegation of the National Assembly’s efforts to strengthen good governance, effectiveness, and institutional efficiency in responding to citizens’ needs. These efforts include modernizing parliamentary constituency offices across provinces through improved infrastructure, digital systems, and capacity-building for officials.
 
Samdech also shared the National Assembly’s plan to establish the Parliamentary Research and Training Services, a new institutional mechanism aimed at strengthening research, training, evidence-based policymaking, governance, and capacity-building for officials of the Secretariat-General.
 
“We hope to deepen cooperation with the United Nations in research, training, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and knowledge exchange to strengthen institutional effectiveness and public service delivery,” Samdech stated.
 
For her part, Ms. Vladanka Andreeva expressed appreciation for Cambodia’s strong political commitment to sustainable development and reaffirmed the United Nations’ continued support for Cambodia’s national priorities.
 
Ms. Andreeva praised Cambodia’s commitment to multilateralism, peacebuilding, and international law, including peaceful dispute settlement mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
 
She also commended Cambodia’s contribution to United Nations peacekeeping operations, particularly through the deployment of Cambodian “Blue Helmets,” while recognizing the country’s progress in mine action, women’s empowerment, healthcare, and social development.
 
“The United Nations stands ready to continue working closely with Cambodia and align our support with the Royal Government’s priorities under the Pentagonal Strategy to ensure sustainable and inclusive development for all Cambodian people,” Ms. Andreeva stated.
 
Ms. Andreeva further welcomed Cambodia’s vision to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2029, become an upper-middle-income country by 2030, and achieve high-income country status by 2050, expressing confidence in Cambodia’s resilience and development trajectory.
 
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in support of Cambodia’s peaceful, resilient, and inclusive development.