U.S. Pledges Support for Peace, Displaced Civilians, and Demining in Cambodia
Phnom Penh, 10 January 2026 — According to a statement shared on social media by Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, on the morning of 10 January 2026, Samdech Thipadei received H.E. Michael George DeSombre, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, for a courtesy call and substantive working discussion.
During the meeting, H.E. DeSombre conveyed that the Government of the United States, and in particular President Donald Trump, continues to closely monitor the Cambodia–Thailand border situation and places strong emphasis on adherence to the spirit and commitments of the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement, signed on 26 October 2025. He also expressed satisfaction at the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers, who have now safely reunited with their families.
H.E. DeSombre underscored that the United States remains committed to upholding the ceasefire and firmly supports the pursuit of lasting peace between Cambodia and Thailand. In this regard, he announced USD 15 million in U.S. assistance to support displaced civilians along the shared border, as well as an additional USD 10 million dedicated to humanitarian demining and the clearance of unexploded ordnance in Cambodia.
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expressed his deep appreciation to President Donald Trump and the U.S. Government for their role in facilitating the ceasefire and the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement of 26 October 2025, as well as for their continued engagement in peacebuilding efforts between Cambodia and Thailand. He further welcomed the U.S. commitment to supporting the livelihood recovery of displaced persons and humanitarian mine action.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that Cambodia consistently upholds peace as a core national value and remains steadfast in resolving border issues peacefully and in accordance with international law, relevant treaties, conventions, and bilateral agreements. He expressed hope that the United States would continue to encourage both parties to fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement of 26 October 2025 and the Joint Declaration of the Third Special Meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) dated 27 December 2025—particularly the safe and unimpeded return of civilians to their homes and the resumption of the Joint Boundary Commission’s technical work on land boundary surveying and demarcation, as a foundation for durable and long-term peace between the two countries.
Both sides also highly commended the significant progress in Cambodia–U.S. relations and agreed to further advance concrete measures to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation across key areas, including trade and investment, national defense and security, people-to-people exchanges, and law enforcement—notably in combating transnational crime and technology-enabled fraud. In this context, H.E. DeSombre announced an additional USD 10 million in U.S. assistance to enhance Cambodia’s capacity to combat cyber-enabled fraud.
The discussions reaffirmed the shared commitment of Cambodia and the United States to peace, stability, and constructive partnership in the region.
