Cambodia urges restoration of trust in United Nations, praises Guterres

Son Pra, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, told the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly that the world needs a United Nations that is "principle, representative, effective and capable of delivering the purpose and principle of its charter." He congratulated the newly elected GA president and expressed appreciation for Secretary-General António Guterres’ leadership over two mandates.

Framing global challenges — from armed conflicts to climate change, inequality and rapid technological change — Son Pra argued that "trust is not restored by declaration alone. It is earned through consistency," and called on member states to honor commitments, respect international law and settle disputes peacefully. He cited Cambodia’s own post-conflict reconciliation and its long-standing contributions to peacekeeping — more than 10,000 peacekeepers over the past 20 years — as part of that commitment.