Current foreign minister Sok Chenda Sophea (left) and Prak Sokhonn, who is tipped to be re-elected to the position by the National Assembly on November 20. Facebook
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn is slated to return to his former role, a position he held for several years. Analysts have suggested that the reshuffle reflects Cambodia’s response to the increasingly complex geopolitical competition among global powers.
The National Assembly is set to undertake a vote of confidence on a reshuffle of the composition of the cabinet on November 20. The reshuffle is widely expected to see Sokhonn, currently serving as first-vice president of the Senate, resume his former post as foreign minister, replacing Sok Chenda Sophea, who has held the position for 15 months under the seventh-mandate administration of Prime Minister Hun Manet, according to a statement from the National Assembly Secretariat.
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Sokhonn has an extensive background in diplomacy and government service. From 1979 to 1986, he worked as a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Army Newspaper.
He also served as Cambodia's ambassador to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the EU, as well as the UN Office in Geneva.
Over the years, he has held several additional key positions within the government, including senior roles in the Office of the Council of Ministers.
From 2016 to 2023, Sokhonn was Cambodia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. During Cambodia's ASEAN Chairmanship, he was appointed as the ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar, a role in which he undertook several missions to address the crisis in Myanmar. Following February’s Senate elections, he assumed the position of first-vice president of the Senate in April.
Sok Chenda Sophea previously led the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), the body responsible for attracting domestic and international investment. He was appointed foreign minister when the new government, under Prime Minister Hun Manet, took office in August last year.
Analysts have noted that the reshuffle underscores Cambodia’s focus on ensuring its foreign policy aligns with shifting global dynamics and the need for seasoned leadership to maintain the country’s interests on the international stage.
Pa Chanroeun, president of the Cambodian Institute for Democracy, remarked that reorganising the government based on specific expertise and experience is a standard practice to enhance effectiveness.
“In light of geopolitical competition and the need to strengthen Cambodia’s diplomatic, political, economic and trade ties globally, Cambodia requires a foreign minister with extensive experience to conduct more effective diplomacy,” he said.
Kin Phea, director of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, added that the reshuffle does not reflect Chenda Sophea’s lack of capacity. Instead, he believed it highlights Sokhonn’s significant experience and past achievements in foreign affairs.
“The evolving global political landscape demands a foreign minister who is highly skilled and experienced in navigating Cambodia’s foreign policy and diplomacy,” he said.
“With Donald Trump returning to power as US President, the global order may face unpredictable challenges. In such a scenario, Cambodia needs a foreign minister with extensive diplomatic expertise to adapt its foreign policy to these new realities,” he added.
