Cambodia joins US Board of Peace

Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo (L) hosts National Defence Minister General Tea Seiha (2-L) aboard the ‘USS Cincinnati’ docked at Ream Naval Base. KT/Chor Sokunthea

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Synopsis: Phnom Penh agrees to onboard vaunted White House initiative as a founding member with no financial obligation.

Cambodia and the United States are “great peace-loving nations” who want to work together towards regional peace, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo said after Phnom Penh agreed to a seat on US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace as a founding member.

Admiral Paparo on Monday hosted Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Tea Seiha and Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) Commander-in-Chief General Vong Pisen aboard the USS Cincinnati, which is docked at Ream Naval Base. They discussed military ties and other bilateral issues.

He also hosted a press briefing at the pier next to the US warship.

Responding to a Khmer Times question on Cambodia’s commitment to peace after Prime Minister Hun Manet announced the decision to join the US-led Board of Peace, Admiral Paparo said he met with Mr Hun Manet at the Peace Palace on Monday.

“I had a very fruitful meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet, whom I have had the great honour of meeting several times,” he said.

“We talked about items of mutual interest in building up the partnership. We also discussed the US role in helping bring about peace in the border crisis,” he added.

He said the US warship’s visit was the result of an invitation from the Cambodian government.

“The entire conversation really went through the prism of Cambodia and the United States as great peace-loving nations and wanting to work together towards regional peace, wherever we can work together,” he said.

The US Navy said the visit demonstrates deepening cooperation and expanding friendship between the US and Royal Cambodian navies.

“Cambodia and the United States work shoulder-to-shoulder to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said a US Navy press release published on the Defence Visual Information Distribution Service.

Mr Hun Manet yesterday reiterated that Cambodia will participate in the Board of Peace without being required to pay the $1 billion fee for permanent membership.

The clarification came after his meeting with Admiral Paparo on Monday. In a subsequent statement, the Prime Minister confirmed that Cambodia’s participation as a founding member of the Peace Board for a three-year term carries no financial obligation, adding that only permanent members are required to contribute $1 billion.

The Prime Minister said “Cambodia has decided to join as a founding member of the Board of Peace at the invitation of His Excellency the President of the United States, Donald J Trump, on January 16, 2026.”

He added that Cambodia’s decision reflects its long-standing principles, saying, “Goodwill, love of peace, support and contribution to building and maintaining peace are principles that Cambodia has always adhered to, especially through sending peacekeeping forces under the umbrella of the United Nations to carry out missions in several countries affected by war.”

The Prime Minister addressed public concerns over potential costs. “Seeing that some citizens are not yet clear about Cambodia’s financial obligations in participating, I would like to clarify that participating as a founding member of the Peace Council for a three-year term does not require payment of funds. The payment of $1 billion is for long-term (permanent) membership only.”

Khmer Times-