Cambodia: The 12th ICAPP General Assembly concludes with the “Phnom Penh Peace Declaration”

The 12th General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), which lasted three days, ended with the adoption of the ‘Phnom Penh Peace Declaration’, which underlines the role of the ICAPP as a multilateral forum for fostering better mutual understanding and addressing certain international challenges.

Prime Minister Hun Manet welcomed the adoption of the ‘Phnom Penh Peace Declaration’, which he said reflected the shared aspirations, commitments and collaborative efforts of ICAPP members to promote peace and reconciliation. Photo AKP

The leaders present also praised the ‘Cambodian model’ of peace and reconciliation as a model for conflict resolution worldwide.

The Cambodian People's Party (CPP), in collaboration with the ICAPP Secretariat, hosted the 12th General Assembly and related meetings under the theme ‘A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation’. The event, held in Phnom Penh, brought together leaders and representatives of 62 political parties from 45 countries, including Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The main discussions focused on prospects for peace-building, global political collaboration, digital connectivity and the Universal Peace Charter (UPC), which comprises five key pillars: conflict prevention, peace-building processes, transitional justice, post-conflict reconstruction and sustainable development.

The assembly also saw the adoption of a joint declaration reaffirming the political parties' commitment to promoting peace, inclusion and reconciliation, with an emphasis on proactive engagement in pre- and post-conflict environments.

ICAPP leaders reaffirmed their commitment to obtaining observer status at the United Nations General Assembly, in order to contribute more effectively to global peacebuilding and sustainable development efforts. The General Assembly ended with a shared commitment to extend ICAPP's influence through partnerships with regional organisations such as ASEAN and SAARC, and global institutions such as the UN and UNESCO.

At the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Manet welcomed the adoption of the ‘Phnom Penh Peace Declaration’, which he said reflects the shared aspirations, commitments and collaborative efforts of ICAPP members towards peace and reconciliation.

He also stressed that:

“Peace should remain the cornerstone of any society. He congratulated ICAPP for its outstanding work as Asia's leading political party organisation for peace, reconciliation, coexistence, social harmony and shared prosperity.”

Mr Hun Manet also pointed out that ‘the peace established on the basis of the principles of the United Nations Charter since the end of the Second World War was now under severe strain.

ICAPP was founded in 2000 to unite political parties in Asia, the Middle East and Oceania to promote dialogue and foster regional cooperation, peace and prosperity for all. Today, ICAPP is one of the largest networks of political parties in Asia, with more than 350 members from 52 countries.

The Kingdom became a member of the ICAPP in 2003 and had the honour of hosting the 6th ICAPP General Assembly in 2010, successfully organising the event.

AKP