Prime Minister Hun Sen said the world is in need of a global governance system that supports multilateralism and respects international law and the sovereignty of each country, no matter its size or breadth of resources, with the UN as the central coordinating entity.

Hun Sen made the remark on April 20 in a pre-recorded video presentation at the four-day Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021 held virtually under the theme “A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Cooperation”.

He said the geopolitical contest between established superpowers and rising nations presents many challenges to the world, and Cambodia recognises the important role of multilateralism in solving them.

Each country should adhere to multilateralism and play a flexible, constructive and responsible role, the prime minister said.

“My country, as the host of the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting [ASEM13] chose the theme ‘Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth’ to show our determination in promoting Asia-Europe partnership to meet our bilateral interests.

“This is also to promote global governance to strengthen multilateralism, combat climate change, and for post-Covid-19 recovery,” Hun Sen said.

The Boao Forum for Asia is non-profit organisation initiated by many Asian and Australasian countries to host high-level forums for leaders in government, business and academia on pressing issues.

With Covid-19 threatening global public health, Hun Sen placed high value on China’s determination to adapt the Belt and Road Initiative to a pandemic-era world through the ‘Health Silk Road’ concept.

He appreciated China as a global leader in providing medicine, medical equipment and Covid-19 vaccines to other countries in a timely manner.

“On behalf of the Cambodian people, I would like to profoundly thank the government of China and the Chinese people for providing Cambodia with medicine, medical equipment and 2.8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, including 1.3 million on a humanitarian basis,” he said.