In a move that surprised many, the government has announced that Cambodia will withdraw from the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) agreement.

In a series of announcements, the Kingdom’s leadership explained that the move aimed to disarm the opposition and maintain peace and solidarity.

Certain opposition groups abroad recently began alleging that the agreement could lead to Cambodia ceding territory to Vietnam, and used misinformation to call for widespread protests and the eventual overthrow of the government.

The withdrawal was announced on the evening of September 20 by Prime Minister Hun Manet and former Prime Minister Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), who serves as Senate president.

Manet posted statements to his social media platforms, detailing the reasons for the decision.

“Although the August 18 plan by the extremists has been completely dissolved, considering the concerns of the people over territorial issues and the political necessity to disarm the extremists and prevent them from using the CLV-DTA to deceive the Cambodian people further, Hun Sen, in his capacity as president of the CPP, has discussed this matter with me, as Prime Minister, and other leaders. 

“We have decided that Cambodia will terminate its participation in the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) from September 20, 2024, onward. The Cambodian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has officially notified Vietnam and Laos," they said.

Hun Sen recently detailed how he personally initiated the CLV-DTA agreement in 1999, to develop four Cambodian provinces – Ratanakkiri, Kratie, Stung Treng and Mondulkiri – by enhancing transportation links and economic activities with Laos and Vietnam.

While cooperation officially began in 2004, marking 20 years of successful progress, opposition to the agreement only emerged around three months ago, in July of this year. Dozens of people who were alleged to have been involved in planning August 18 protests in Phnom Penh were arrested, with suggestions that they hoped the protestors would overthrow the government, as happened recently in Bangladesh.

Some of those arrested were later released after “re-education”, while those identified as ringleaders were charged and detained in custody.

Manet noted that extremists had used claims of possible territorial losses – or the idea that the kingdom would cede land to neighbouring countries through the agreement – as a political weapon to attack the government, through the spreading of “endless lies” to confuse some citizens.

Hun Sen explained his thinking, via Facebook.

“Although the extremists’ August 18 plan has been completely dissolved, Hun Sen's way of working is to ‘not sit and stop the smoke, but to put out the fire completely,” he said.

Despite withdrawing from the CLV-DTA, Cambodia will continue the development of its territories through normal cooperation with bilateral frameworks, with ASEAN, through the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV) cooperation, the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and other global development partners, he clarified.

“Extremists are likely to declare their victory over this demand; however, they will lose an important weapon used to attack the government. Moreover, the success of the CPP stems from solving people's concerns and knowing how to remove weapons from the hands of the enemy,” added the former prime minister.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sok Chenda Sophea issued a September 20 official statement to Saleumxay Kommasith, his Lao counterpart, and Bui Thanh Son, his Vietnamese counterpart.

It confirmed Cambodia’s withdrawal from the CLV-DTA.

“After careful consideration and evaluation of our progress, we have concluded that the cooperation mandate has reached its objectives. At this point, we believe that each country is fully capable of continuing and ensuring the development of its respective nation independently. Therefore, Cambodia would like to inform you that we have decided to end our participation in the CLV-DTA in pursuant to Article 18 of the Memorandum of Understanding…,” he wrote. 

“The collaboration under the CLV-DTA framework has been immensely beneficial for our respective countries, and I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the cooperation and efforts made by all parties involved. We have achieved significant milestones that have strengthened our mutual goals and furthered regional development,” he added.