By:
• Meng Seavmey

• September 16, 2024 , 8:30 PM

PHNOM PENH – The Swedish government has announced plans to shutter its embassy section office in Phnom Penh by the end of September, consolidating its diplomatic presence in Cambodia with the embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.

While the embassy will close its doors, the Consulate of Sweden in Phnom Penh will remain operational to provide essential consular services to Swedish citizens residing in Cambodia. The decision aligns with the Swedish government's broader strategy to gradually phase out bilateral development cooperation with the country, the embassy said on September 16.

In 2020, Sweden significantly shifted its development cooperation with Cambodia, terminating support for sectors such as education, decentralization, and the environment.

Instead, the country opted to concentrate its efforts on bilateral development initiatives. This strategic change culminated in the closure of the Swedish embassy in Phnom Penh in November 2021. However, in a subsequent move, the embassy was repurposed as a section office under the Swedish embassy in Bangkok, maintaining a reduced diplomatic presence in Cambodia.

Cambodianess contacted Cambodian government spokesman Pen Bona for a comment but was directed to speak to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

By the press time, the ministry spokesperson Chum Sounry told Cambodianess via Telegram that the ministry was preparing a clarification regarding the matter to be issued soon.

A few hours later, the foreign ministry issued a clarification statement regarding the closure of the section, rejecting any attempt to interpret the decision to serve a political purpose.

Vann Bunna, head of the Research and Advocacy Unit at the Cambodian Youth Network Association, suggested that the closure of the Swedish embassy section office in Phnom Penh might be attributed to the country's "little improvement of the democratic situation."

Sweden has historically been a vocal advocate for democratic reforms in Cambodia, and Bunna's assessment implies that the lack of progress in this area may have influenced the decision.

Additionally, Bunna noted that Sweden's shifting foreign policy priorities, particularly its increased focus on European security due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, could be another contributing factor. This suggests that the Swedish government may be reallocating resources to address pressing security concerns within Europe.

The analyst emphasized that the closure of the Swedish embassy section office would likely have a minimal impact on the overall relationship between Cambodia and Sweden. Instead, he predicted that the decision would primarily affect non-governmental organizations and civil society groups operating in Cambodia.

Sweden has been a longstanding supporter of human rights, democracy, and good governance in the country, working closely with both civil society organizations and the government.

"It would affect the administrative work between the Cambodian and Swedish governments because if the section office was still open, diplomatic messages and procedures would be faster," Bunna said.

"However, the decision would have a more significant impact on the NGOs working on human rights and democracy due to the loss or lack of funding, as Sweden had been a major funder," he added.

"The government, particularly the Ministry of Interior, would also lose the support for authorization and democracy enhancement and promotion at the sub-national level."

According to the embassy section office, support management for Cambodia under the regional strategy for development cooperation with Asia and the Pacific has been transferred to the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, or Sida, based in Stockholm, since mid-August.

With the official Facebook page to be closed, the embassy encouraged the public to follow up with the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok and Sweden’s regional development cooperation on X for social interactions and information acquirement.

Sweden and Cambodia started diplomatic ties in 1961, and Sweden began its humanitarian efforts in Cambodia in 1979.