On the morning of July 9, Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen spoke in Stung Treng province, reviewing the country’s transition from war to peace and asking: “Had Hun Sen not been prime minister, could Cambodia’s war have ended?” He said achieving comprehensive peace had laid a firm foundation for economic and social development.
Hun Sen said Cambodia experienced about 30 years of internal conflict, which severely impeded national development. In the late 1980s, the parties began seeking a political settlement through negotiations, with the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk and Hun Sen among the important figures advancing the peace process. On October 23, 1991, Cambodia signed the Paris Peace Agreements, laying the groundwork for peace and a new political order. National elections, a new constitution and the restoration of constitutional monarchy followed.
However, Hun Sen said the Paris Peace Agreements did not immediately end armed conflict, as remaining Khmer Rouge forces continued operating. To achieve complete peace, he advanced the “win-win policy” in 1996, ultimately bringing about the disintegration of Khmer Rouge armed forces.
Hun Sen said Cambodia achieved a nationwide ceasefire on December 29, 1998, formally ending decades of war and entering a new phase of peaceful development. He said that had the war continued, substantial resources would still have been required for conflict and economic and social development could not have achieved today’s results.
Hun Sen also said he was satisfied with his role in advancing comprehensive peace, stability and development, and considered peace the fundamental prerequisite for Cambodia’s development.
Hun Sen became Cambodia’s prime minister on January 14, 1985, served for more than 38 years and stepped down on August 22, 2023, when his eldest son, Hun Manet, succeeded him.
