The 17th US Ambassador to Cambodia, Christopher Anderson, arrived in Phnom Penh late last night to take up his diplomatic posting.
Ambassador Anderson said he looked forward to getting to know Cambodia and its people while working to expand economic opportunities and strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.
In a statement issued in September, the US Embassy said his appointment would “drive the next chapter of the US-Cambodia relationship, advancing American interests while supporting a strong and prosperous Cambodia”.
“An army veteran, Ambassador Anderson will arrive in Phnom Penh focused on expanding trade and investment, strengthening security cooperation, and working with Cambodian partners to dismantle scam networks that steal billions from Americans and people around the world,” the statement said.
Anderson previously served as national security adviser to Montana Senator Steve Daines. He has more than 17 years of experience in foreign affairs, defence and international policy matters in the executive and legislative branches of the US government.
In that role, he advised on various national security matters, including foreign policy, defence, veterans’ affairs, intelligence, international illicit finance and sanctions regimes, among other regulatory frameworks.
He served as a US Army combat engineer and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011.
After three years of active-duty service, he transitioned to a career advising government officials and political campaigns on national security issues.
Over the following 14 years, he advised three senators and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
His career in Washington, DC, began as a legislative correspondent for Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson.
A native of Wisconsin, Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a Master of Project Management from Pennsylvania State University.
His predecessor, Patrick W Murphy, left his post on May 18, 2024. Bridgette Walker, Benjamin Chiang and Aleks Zittle subsequently served as interim ambassadors.
Appearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 16, Anderson said his agenda would focus on combating transnational cybercrime, strengthening economic and security cooperation, and deepening engagement through regional frameworks such as ASEAN and the Mekong-US Partnership.
He identified online scam compounds as the single biggest challenge in bilateral relations, describing them as both a criminal justice issue and a humanitarian crisis.
He added that criminal networks had stolen tens of billions of dollars from American citizens while exploiting hundreds of thousands of people through forced criminality and human trafficking.
“If confirmed, I will work urgently with Cambodian counterparts and regional partners to deliver results,” he said.
- Tags: US Embassy in Cambodia
