Cambodia Marks 20 Years of UN Peacekeeping, With More Than 10,900 Personnel Deployed to 10 Countries
Cambodia celebrated two decades of service in United Nations peacekeeping on 24 October 2026, having deployed 10,914 military personnel, including 1,083 women, to missions in 10 countries since 2006.
Cambodia celebrated 20 years of contributing troops to United Nations peacekeeping on Saturday, 24 October 2026, which was also United Nations Day. Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, presided over the anniversary ceremony at the Multinational Peacekeeping Training Centre in Kampong Speu province, joined by Ms. Vladanka Andreeva, the UN Resident Coordinator in Cambodia.
Key points
- Cambodia held a ceremony on 24 October 2026 to mark 20 years of taking part in UN peacekeeping operations.
- Since 2006 the Kingdom has deployed 74 contingents totalling 10,914 military personnel, including 1,083 women, to 10 countries.
- Cambodia's first deployment was a 135-strong mine clearance company sent to Sudan in April 2006.
- 475 Cambodian personnel are currently serving with UN missions, including in the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Lebanon.
From host country to contributor
In the early 1990s Cambodia hosted UN peacekeeping operations; in 2006 it began sending its own soldiers abroad under the blue flag. Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet described that journey as the story of a nation once known for war and landmines that now helps keep the peace in other parts of the world, and he credited the Win-Win Policy, which brought peace and national reconciliation, with laying the foundation for this role.
H.E. Tea Seiha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, set out the record. Cambodia's first contingent, the 135th Mine Clearance Company of 135 personnel, left for Sudan on 12 April 2006. Over the following two decades the Kingdom sent 74 contingents with a combined 10,914 military personnel, 1,083 of them women, to Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Mali, the Central African Republic, Yemen and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Cambodian peacekeepers have worked in mine clearance, unexploded ordnance disposal, engineering and airfield engineering, military policing, field hospitals, and as staff officers and military observers. H.E. Tea Seiha said the commitment reflects Cambodia's dedication to international cooperation, the protection of civilians and peace and security worldwide.
Recognised expertise and a growing role for women
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said Cambodia is now regarded as a leader in mine and unexploded ordnance clearance within peacekeeping, drawing on hard-won experience at home. He urged troops on deployment to uphold military discipline and ethics, respect international law and UN standards of conduct, and build good relations with local communities.
Ms. Andreeva passed on the congratulations of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and noted that 2026 marks 71 years of Cambodia's membership of the United Nations. She praised the contribution of Cambodian women peacekeepers to the effectiveness of missions, saying the Kingdom has become a regional leader on the women, peace and security agenda. Of the 475 Cambodians currently on UN duty, 95 are women.
What it means for Cambodia
Peacekeeping has become one of the most visible ways Cambodia contributes to the international community, turning experience gained in its own recovery into service for others. The Prime Minister also said Cambodia will hold joint exercises with several partners in the coming years, including trilateral exercises within the UN framework with Japan and South Korea.
Sources: AKP, Cambodianess.
Frequently asked questions
When did Cambodia start taking part in UN peacekeeping?
Cambodia sent its first UN peacekeeping contingent, a 135-strong mine clearance company, to Sudan on 12 April 2006.
How many Cambodian peacekeepers have served with the UN?
According to the Ministry of National Defence, Cambodia has deployed 74 contingents totalling 10,914 military personnel, including 1,083 women, to 10 countries.
What roles do Cambodian peacekeepers perform?
They work in mine and unexploded ordnance clearance, engineering, airfield engineering, military police, field hospitals, and as staff officers and military observers.
