NEW YORK: Following a 20-hour journey, Prime Minister Hun Manet and First Lady Pich Chanmony safely arrived in New York with a delegation of Cambodian officials on the morning of September 22. They were welcomed at the airport by Permanent Representative of Cambodia to the United Nations, Sophea Eat.

Having landed at Newark Airport, the couple headed to their hotel where they were warmly greeted by CPP supporters living in the US and Canada.

The prime minister has brought a delegation, including his foreign minister and minister-attached, to attend the 78th UN General Assembly and give a speech at the event. The purpose of the UNGA is to bring countries from all over the world together to discuss and solve global issues. According to the US Department of State, “Working with a broad range of countries, including those with which we sometimes disagree, is critical to tackling global challenges and delivering on issues that matter to the United States, developing countries, and the whole world.”

While the UNGA ends on September 22, Prime Minister Hun Manet and his delegation will be in the US until September 25 to meet with international officials, US businesspeople, including the marketing director for pharmaceutical company Pfizer, the UN Secretary-General, and the US Deputy Secretary of State. This is the first time the PM is attending the UN as Cambodia’s leader and the visit is a vital piece of establishing his legitimacy on the international stage.