Cambodia Urges Stronger UN Action on Peaceful Settlement of Disputes
Cambodia Urges Stronger UN Action on Peaceful Settlement of Disputes
New York, 23 July 2026 — Cambodia has called for stronger United Nations action to promote the peaceful settlement of international disputes, urging renewed global commitment to diplomacy and greater respect for international law during a high-level debate of the UN Security Council.
Speaking at the Security Council’s High-Level Open Debate on “Strengthening the mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes: follow-up to Security Council resolution 2788 (2025),” Cambodia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Chhea Keo, said the international community should reinforce peaceful approaches to resolving conflicts.
The ambassador recalled that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn had reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue, diplomacy and respect for international law during his address to the Security Council in May.
Chhea outlined four priorities for strengthening international efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts.
First, he called for a stronger United Nations role in preventive diplomacy to help avert disputes before they escalate.
Second, he urged that international disputes be resolved exclusively through peaceful means and in accordance with international law, including compliance with judgments of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Third, he emphasized the need to reinforce the Security Council’s unity, credibility and impartiality in addressing international conflicts.
Fourth, he highlighted the humanitarian consequences of Cambodia’s ongoing border dispute, telling the Council that more than 20,000 civilians remain displaced, and called for greater international attention to the humanitarian impact of the conflict.
Concluding his remarks, Chhea stressed that international borders and national sovereignty must never be altered by force or through the creation of a fait accompli on the ground, reaffirming Cambodia’s support for the peaceful resolution of disputes under international law.
