Prime Minister to Oversee Key Military Unit
Prime Minister Hun Manet in the Royal Swearing-in Ceremony of Members of the government in the 7th mandate. Photo: Hun Manet / Facebook
- By Teng Yalirozy
- August 23, 2023 8:30 PM
PHNOM PENH – Prime Minister Hun Manet will lead the key military units, comprising the national counterterrorism special force, the national gendarmerie forces and the bodyguard unit, according to the work assignment for the new cabinet.
Dated Aug. 22, the five-page decision letter says the PM will work with the Council of Ministers and communicate directly with the King for government work.
Hun Manet graduated from the US military academy, West Point, and was the commander of the Royal Cambodian Army.
He assigned two deputy prime ministers to take over as acting prime ministers in his absence. Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun, a former police chief, will assist Hun Manet with national security and public order, national gendarmerie and other special mission assigned by the PM.
The next acting prime minister in line is Deputy PM Aun Pornmoniroth, who will take over the task when Hun Manet and Neth Savoeun are absent from Cambodia. He assists with economy and finance as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Policy Committee.
Former Public Work and Transport Minister Sun Chanthol is promoted as the first vice-president of the Council of Development of Cambodia. He succeeds Hor Nhamhong as the chairman of the Cambodian side of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee.
Hang Chuon Naron is entrusted with the work for the education sector while Sar Sokha is responsible for the interior work, human trafficking, drug combating and gambling. Tea Seiha works on national defense and leads Cambodian forces for UN peacekeeping.
Koeut Rith serves in the justice sector, working with the courts while Sok Chenda Sophea works on foreign affairs, such as by giving advice about foreign policy and deciding on child adoption and renunciation of citizenship. Vongsey Vissoth is tasked with facilitating the work of the Council of Ministers.
Each deputy prime minister can have four advisors.
Senior ministers who retain their positions are Kun Kim who is the vice president of the National Committee of Disaster Management, Ho Sithy who is Chief of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister, Om Yintieng who is the head of the Anti-Corruption Unit, Ieng Mouly who is the head of the National AIDS Authority, Ly Thuch who is the first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority, and Keo Remy who is the president of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee.
Ex-rural development minister Ouk Rabun will become the head of the Council of Agriculture and Rural Development, succeeding Yim Chhay Ly.
Ex-tourism minister Thong Khon continues to lead the National Olympic Committee. Former secretary of the Labor Ministry Pich Sophoan works to assist with vocational training, and ex-civil service minister Prum Sokha is assigned as head of the National Authority of Combating Drugs, succeeding Ke Kim Yan.
Former secretary of state of the Interior Ministry Sak Setha will be the permanent vice-president of the National Committee for Sub-National Democracy Development and Osman Hassan will continue his work assisting the Prime Minister with work related to Muslims.
Former secretary of state of the National Defense Ministry Y Chhean will assist the PM with the border work, and ex-secretary of state of the Information Ministry Ouk Prathna will assist the Premier with social and cultural work.
Former undersecretary of state of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Ouch Borith will assist the PM with international relations within the political parties.
An ex-senior official of the Ministry Council, Svay Sitha, is assigned with information work and former national police deputy chief Chhay Sinarith will collect and analyse security information.
Former executive director of Cambodia Development Resources Institute Chhem Kieth Rethy will observe socioeconomic work for the government.
Ex-secretary-general of the Council for Development for Cambodia Chhieng Yanara will become the council’s second vice-president.
Practicing lawyer Sok Siphana will assist the work with international organizations, and the lawyer of outgoing PM Hun Sen, Ky Tech, will manage government lawyers.
The new cabinet consists of 10 deputy prime ministers, 21 senior ministers and 30 ministers. It took office after a vote of confidence in the National Assembly, in which 123 of the 125 lawmakers gave their support. Two members were absent.
The cabinet was officially appointed by royal decree late in the afternoon on the same day, in line with the Constitution.
