PHNOM PENH: As part of the agenda for their first Cabinet meeting, the Council of Ministers established the Secretariat of State for Border Affairs in order to create a new, permanent institution with a full management structure and authority to improve the effectiveness of boundary settlement.

In a press release from the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, August 24, the establishment of the Secretariat of State for Border Affairs will replace the National Authority for Border Affairs. Its mission is to resolve border issues with neighboring countries and to strengthen and develop Cambodia’s borders to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Based on conscience and strong will to defend sovereignty and territorial integrity, always linked to the protection of political stability and social security, the Royal Government of the 7th legislature of the National Assembly continues to value border affairs as an important task," the statement said.

The draft law on the establishment of the Secretariat of State for Border Affairs was prepared in eight articles.

Cambodia shares about 2,500 km of borders with Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. Cambodia has completed border demarcation with Laos, while the Cambodian-Vietnamese border was about 90%complete in 2022.