Hun Sen Welcomes Strong Cambodia–Laos Border Cooperation

Hun Sen Welcomes Strong Cambodia–Laos Border Cooperation

PHNOM PENH, Feb 17, 2026 — Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen on Monday expressed satisfaction with what he described as strong cooperation along the Cambodia–Laos border, calling for closer collaboration between authorities and armed forces of both countries to further strengthen peace and security.

Hun Sen made the remarks during a meeting at the Senate’s Samdech Techo Peace Palace with Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith, Lao deputy defence minister and chief of the general staff of the Lao People’s Army, according to Senate spokesman Chea Thyrith.

He welcomed the Lao delegation’s visit and said it would serve as an important driver in further deepening bilateral ties, particularly cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces.

Hun Sen encouraged expanding border cooperation beyond traditional frameworks such as combating transnational crime. He said collaboration should also include joint disaster management efforts, including responses to cross-border flooding and forest fires, to ensure more comprehensive and deeper cooperation.

The Lao deputy defence minister praised the border as one of peace, cooperation and stability, crediting close coordination between the two governments, militaries and local authorities.

Cambodia and Laos share a border of about 540 km. Both countries have in recent years emphasized maintaining stability and strengthening bilateral relations.