National Assembly President Khuon Sudary expressed full support Wednesday for the upcoming 47th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly to be hosted by the Philippines, calling parliamentary diplomacy vital during global geopolitical uncertainty.
Sudary made the remarks during a meeting at the National Assembly Palace with newly appointed Philippine Ambassador to Cambodia Senen Mangalile.
Welcoming Mangalile to his diplomatic mission, Sudary noted that bilateral ties built since 1957 continue to expand, expressing confidence that cooperation will deepen across trade, investment, defence, agriculture and tourism.
Addressing the 47th AIPA General Assembly scheduled for November 16-22 in Manila, Sudary commended the theme, “Parliaments Securing a Peaceful, Prosperous, and People-centred ASEAN.”
“As representatives of the people, parliaments must safeguard public interests,” Sudary said, emphasising that parliamentary diplomacy plays a critical role in preserving peace and social stability amid global geopolitical rivalry, economic slowdowns and climate challenges.
Sudary will lead a high-level Cambodian National Assembly delegation to the Manila conference.
During the meeting, Sudary urged Manila to boost investment in Cambodia, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which generate over 60% of the national economy. She also called for increased tourism flows and continued English-language training support for Cambodian parliamentary staff.
In response, Mangalile reaffirmed Manila’s commitment to deepening cooperation, highlighting upcoming joint business forums ahead of the 75th anniversary of Cambodia-Philippines diplomatic relations next year. He also thanked Cambodia for protecting the interests of Filipino workers residing in the Kingdom and confirmed ongoing support for English training programmes.
Sudary thanked the Philippines for its contributions to human capital development under Prime Minister Hun Manet’s Pentagonal Strategy-Phase 1.
She also appreciated Manila’s support within ASEAN for facilitating the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) mission to monitor the implementation of the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire agreement and peace declarations, reiterating Cambodia’s steadfast commitment to international law and peace. AKP
