PHNOM PENH: Over the past 16 years, from 2006 to 2022, Cambodia has sent a total of 8,302 Blue Helmets, including 580 women, on United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions in Sudan, Chad, South Sudan, Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Yemen, to help maintain peace in countries experiencing crises of war.

The more than 8,000 Blue Helmets sent on UN peacekeeping missions are involved in clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance, working in military level hospitals and airport engineering, working as army officers and as observers of peace.

These statistics were announced by a Spokesperson for the National Center for the Management of Peacekeeping Forces, Demining and Remnants of War, Phal Samon, at a press conference on the five-year progress of the Ministry of National Defense. He said that Cambodia's Blue Helmets, with currently 801 (118 women) stationed abroad (in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Lebanon, and the Central African Republic), are responsible for reducing security threats, providing support during Sahara sandstorms, helping with the removal of landmines and other explosive devices, and responding to terrorist attacks.

Although the Blue Helmets face various dangers, Spokesperson Phal Samon said Cambodia has never left them alone in their tasks and is always relaying and receiving information in close communication with the troops through a clear management technology system.

"To manage the provision of information, we are divided into two units, external and domestic," he said. "Although there are differences in time zones, day and night, information management [between us] is clear.... the National Center has [also] been guiding and managing the obstacles [faced by Cambodian Blue Helmets] where [they are stationed]."

The Spokesperson confirmed that Cambodia first deployed Blue Helmets under the UN umbrella on 12 April 2006, after former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, wrote a proposal letter to Cambodia on 25 February 2005. Four days after receiving this proposal, Cambodia announced the decision to begin deploying Blue Helmets on 1 March 2005.

Spokesperson Phal Samon affirmed that the Royal Government decided to send its troops to participate in humanitarian work abroad to show Cambodia's goodwill and desire for a world that is safe and war-free, especially as Cambodia has enjoyed peace in the country since it was restored in late 1993.

According to the UN, by the end of 2021, Cambodia ranked 28th out of 122 countries in the provision of Blue Helmets, and 13th for the number of female Blue Helmets. In the ASEAN region, Cambodia ranks third overall, and second in the number of female Blue Helmets.