PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has said that he hopes the River Festival will offer another new opportunity to showcase Cambodia as a quality tourist destination to the world, with the festival also contributing to income generation, job creation and poverty reduction for the people who live in the local community. In particular, the Prime Minister noted that the River Festival contributes to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as to increasing national pride, solidarity and friendship.

In his official message to commemorate the celebration of the 7th River Festival in 2023, Prime Minister Hun Sen said that organizing this festival in Kampong Thom makes it very special because the province is located in the center of Cambodia, has a long border with the Tonle Sap Lake, and has the Sambor Prei Kuk Temple, which was inscribed on to UNESCO's Intangible Heritage of Humanity list in 2017. The temple was the capital of the Pre-Angkorian Chenla Kingdom, thus, the province features many hidden historical tales and tourist attractions. In the modern day, Kampong Thom is also Cambodia's main rice-growing province.

With this reminder, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that the Royal Government will continue to celebrate the River Festival every year in the riverside provinces of Cambodia.

"All this proves is that the Royal Government has been promoting the development of Cambodia's tourism sector, especially the development of river tourism products, contributing to making Cambodia a quality tourist destination, both regionally and internationally," he said.

The Prime Minister further appealed to the relevant ministries, institutions, authorities at all levels, the armed forces, the private sector, and small and medium enterprises to participate in helping to make the 7th River Festival a major success. He called on all stakeholders to work together to preserve peace in the country, as it is the indisputable foundation for national prosperity, both now and in the future.