Phnom Penh (FN), Jul. 22 – Atul Khare, of the United Nations (UN) for Operational Support, lauded Cambodian blue berets for their courage, discipline, and responsibility, speaking on a courtesy call on Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Monday morning (Jul. 22) at the Senate.
Atul Khare also offered his condolences to Samdech Techo Hun Sen and the families of the 11 Cambodian blue berets who lost their lives in the UN peacekeeping missions. He noted that while the UN provides life insurance, it cannot replace the lives lost.
In addition, Atul Khare praised Cambodia's commitment to participating in global peacekeeping, particularly for hosting a UN Triangular Partnership Program (TPP) training course in collaboration with South Korea in November 2024 and Japan in 2025.
He also regarded this action as evidence that Cambodia is on the right path, transforming from a country that once received UN peacekeeping missions to one that provides peacekeeping forces and trains peacekeepers, including military personnel, doctors, nurses, and demining forces.
For his part, Samdech Techo expressed his gratitude for the condolences extended to the families of the deceased 11 Cambodian blue berets. Furthermore, Samdech Techo shared some recommendations with the UN under secretary general for Operational Support:
1. High attention should be paid to the selection of commanders and officers, ensuring they have the skills and strategic capabilities to deploy troops effectively.
2. Greater attention should be given to the peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, ensuring timely intervention and response even if the situation there is calm.
On the occasion, Samdech Techo also expressed his deep satisfaction and support for Cambodia being selected as a partner and host of the UN Triangular Partnership Program with South Korea and Japan. He highlighted that Cambodia is the ideal choice for this program due to its peaceful environment, demining expertise, experience as a war-torn country, and low costs. Additionally, Cambodia also hosts the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre.
As the host of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre, Samdech Techo said that besides ASEAN members, Cambodia welcomes all countries that want to send officials to learn demining skills. Ukraine has also received training in the past.
"Cambodia clearly remembers that friendly countries wore blue berets to assist Cambodia, so Cambodia must wear blue berets to assist all of Cambodia's friendly countries as well," Samdech Techo underscored.
It should be noted that Samdech Techo Hun Sen was the leader who decided to send the Cambodian forces to participate in peacekeeping missions under the UN in 2006.
From 2006 to June 2024, Cambodia sent 9,570 peacekeepers (818 women) to UN peacekeeping missions in 10 countries, including Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Mali, Yemen, and Congo.
As of 30 June 2024, 627 Cambodian peacekeepers, including 125 women, were deployed in South Sudan (UNMISS), Lebanon (UNIFIL), Central African Republic (MINUSCA), Congo (MONUSCO), and Sudan (UNISFA).
Cambodia continues to rank in the top 25 of the 121 countries contributing troops to UN peacekeeping operations and ranks third (after Indonesia and Malaysia) among ASEAN countries.
=FRESH NEWS
