Baku: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has expressed his deep gratitude to Azerbaijan and the United Nations for jointly organizing the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Say Samal conveyed this message during the Leaders' Session of the forum, highlighting the significance of the event for Cambodia.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister Say Samal reflected on Cambodia's tumultuous history, noting that internal conflicts and wars over the past 500 years have rendered the nation vulnerable. He emphasized that after gaining independence from French colonial rule, Cambodia experienced a brief 'Golden Era' as a young and dynamic country. However, the Vietnam wars in the 1960s and 1970s left Cambodian cities devastated, and the country became a Cold War battlefield in the 1980s, leading to widespread destruction.

Despite these challenges, Cambodia has made significant progress over the past two decades, marked by peace, political stability, and sustained economic growth. The Deputy Prime Minister asserted that these developments are paving the way for Cambodia to become a middle-class society, presenting new opportunities for national reconstruction.

"The current government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, is seizing the opportunities ahead, and we are building a new Cambodia," he stated, underscoring the government's commitment to the nation's future development.