Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron addressed the19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, held in Kampala, Uganda on January 20. MoEYS
During the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, the Cambodian delegation reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to multilateralism.
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron addressed the January 20 summit, held in Kampala, Uganda.
He affirmed that Cambodia will continue to apply an independent foreign policy based on international principles, and will continue to oppose the use or threat of force. He called for a return to peaceful conflict resolution mechanisms.
“This summit marks a milestone. It offers all of us the chance to reflect on the past and plan the future direction of the non-aligned movement,” he said.
NAM is a forum which is not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the UN, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide
“We are once again living in an era of superpower competition. As a NAM member since 1961, Cambodia has vowed to adhere to the core principles of the founding 1955 Bandung Conference – as well as those adopted at the Havana summit in 1979 – with the aim of further strengthening the roles and functions of political forums that represent developing countries,” explained Chuon Naron.
He added that around two decades ago, Cambodia turned a corner in its history, finally resolving its internal conflicts and experiencing a bright future. With strong political will, the Cambodian government implemented a programme of economic reforms and achieved an annual economic growth of seven per cent for almost 20 years.
The Kingdom has risen, from a poor country to a middle-income one, and is aiming to become an upper-middle-income nation by 2030.
“We recognise the importance of South-South cooperation. We need to collaborate together to build economic resilience, stimulating sustainable development and ensuring social justice. We have to share our knowledge, technology and resources to address challenges and accomplish common goals,” he said.
Yang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, described the Kingdom’s position as the most suitable for global developments.
“If Cambodia had failed to stick with multilateralism in its international or independent cooperation, then Cambodia would have suffered,” he said.
He added that the world should not allow superpower nations to abuse weaker countries or states. Therefore, sticking with multilateral principles is vital.
As for the role of Cambodia on the international stage, he noted that the Kingdom has recently taken an active part in regional and international affairs, working to preserve world peace and regional order.
“As Cambodia’s role increases, its calls for a return to peaceful conflict resolution mechanisms carry more weight on the international political stage,” he added.
