EU Envoy Tells Cambodian Displaced Families They Are “Not Alone”

Hugo Trismann, the European Union ambassador to Cambodia

BANTEAY MEANCHEY, Cambodia, Feb 9, 2026 — The European Union will continue to stand with Cambodian civilians displaced by border tensions, the EU’s ambassador to Cambodia said, telling affected families they were “not alone.”

Speaking on Saturday during a visit to displaced people sheltering at Kandol Pagoda in Banteay Meanchey province, Hugo Trismann, the European Union ambassador to Cambodia, said the bloc would remain committed to supporting affected communities.

“Cambodian people are not alone. The European Union will be here with you from now on,” Trismann told displaced families, according to officials present at the visit.

The ambassador led a delegation delivering humanitarian assistance to families displaced from the Boeung Trakuon area in Thma Puok district. The visit was attended by Cambodian Agriculture Minister Dith Tina, Banteay Meanchey Governor Oum Reatrey, and Anirban Chatterjee, deputy representative of UNICEF in Cambodia.

Trismann said that while the EU could not address all needs, it would continue to provide assistance within its capacity to ease the suffering of displaced civilians.

“Beyond the aid we bring today, the most important message is solidarity,” he said. “We want victims and the Cambodian people to know that the European Union will continue to stand with them in the period ahead.”

Local authorities say more than 2,700 families in Banteay Meanchey remain unable to return home after access routes to six villages were blocked with barbed wire and shipping containers, allegedly placed by Thai military forces following a ceasefire that took effect on Dec. 27, 2025.

Residents and officials said the obstructions have prevented civilians from accessing their homes despite the cessation of hostilities.

What the EU envoy witnessed during the visit went beyond a routine inspection, officials said, as Trismann observed firsthand the hardships faced by displaced Cambodian civilians and was briefed on allegations that their continued displacement stemmed from actions violating Cambodia’s territorial sovereignty after the ceasefire.

The European Union has been one of Cambodia’s key partners in humanitarian assistance and development cooperation, particularly in conflict-affected and border regions.