AKP Phnom Penh, September 20, 2025 -- H.E. Dr. Chea Chanboribo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Republic of Latvia, presented his Letters of Credence to the President of the Republic of Latvia, H.E. Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs, signaling a commitment to strengthened bilateral ties.

The ceremony and subsequent high-level meetings took place in Riga on Sept. 19, 2025.

Ambassador Chanboribo’s agenda included a series of crucial diplomatic meetings: Meeting with Mr. Ivars Lasis, Under-Secretary of State and Political Director; The Ceremony of the Presentation of the Letters of Credence to H.E. Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs, President of the Republic of Latvia; Meeting with H.E. Ms. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Member of the Presidium of the Saeima (Latvian Parliament).

During the occasions, the Ambassador conveyed well wishes from His Majesty the King of Cambodia, the President of the Senate, the President of the National Assembly, and Cambodia’s Prime Minister to their respective Latvian counterparts: the President, the Speaker of the Saeima, and the Prime Minister.

Ambassador Chanboribo stated that the official meetings demonstrated a shared commitment to building a stronger partnership and cooperation for the mutual, prosperous future of both Cambodia and Latvia.

Cambodia pledged to continue strengthening cooperation with Latvia in several key sectors to advance global development and attract mutual benefits for the peoples of both nations.

Cambodia is actively opening its economy and welcomes the potential for Latvian investment and exports into the ASEAN region. The Kingdom is keen to host business matching programmes, trade discussions, and conclude investment agreements with Latvia. 

Both countries can collaborate on promoting their respective tourism destinations through cultural and nature tourism programmes.

Partnerships between tourism institutions are expected to deepen mutual understanding of each other's culture and history.

The Ambassador encouraged student and professor exchange programmes, as well as the transfer of technical expertise from Latvia to Cambodia in the fields of IT, AI, and digital studies. Cambodia is focused on developing a skilled workforce to contribute to a modern economy.

Cambodia is open to cooperating with Latvia on developing a modern media sector, journalist training, combating fake news, and the advancement of e-Governance. Exchanging experiences in these sectors will strengthen the capabilities of both countries.

On foreign affairs, the Kingdom of Cambodia stressed its foreign policy strategy, which prioritises strengthening ties and collaboration with the Republic of Latvia. 

Cambodia is committed to continuous political dialogue, expert-level meetings, and cooperation to build trust and promote the values of peace, progress, and shared development. The Kingdom seeks friendly relations with all nations, consistent with its national values and strict adherence to the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states.

Regarding the Cambodia-Thailand border issue, the Ambassador reiterated that the most appropriate and civilised path to resolution is through the legal process before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which guarantees a peaceful solution for the prosperity of future generations. He emphasised that war is not Cambodia’s choice.

Ambassador Chanboribo affirmed Cambodia’s strict respect for and sincere implementation of the ceasefire agreement signed in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on July 28, 2025. However, he lamented that the Thai side has allegedly not respected the agreement, citing continued harassment, the erection of barbed wire, violations of Cambodian sovereignty, and multiple incidents against civilians.

Addressing the issue of Human Rights, the Ambassador stressed the primacy of the right to life, referencing his personal experience of having lived through five political regimes and over 30 years of war, where he nearly lost his life.

The Ambassador also recalled a statement by the UN Secretary-General, noting that democracy and human rights are dependent on the culture, traditions, religion, and customs of each respective country. 

He concluded by highlighting Cambodia’s current open space for freedoms, including for civil society organisations, the press, and social media platforms, stating that every Cambodian citizen possesses at least one media channel in their hand.

By K. Rithy Reak