Lieutenant General Rat Dararath, Secretary of State of the Ministry of National Defence, met with a delegation from the United States Congress led by Jimmy Panetta, a member of the United States Congress for California, on February 17, 2027, at the Ministry’s Office.
Dararath said that on behalf of General Tea Seiha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, he extended his welcome and considered that the visit of Panetta and the delegation at this time is very important to strengthen and expand the relations between the two countries.
He said the relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Cambodia has existed for a long time. The relationship between the two armies is also good, and in the past, some officers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) have attended military schools in the US, especially Prime Minister Hun Manet. In addition, the two armies have also conducted joint military exercises, but until 2017 they were suspended, and there are many other projects where the US military can help the RCAF.
Dararath noted that recently, Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, Commander, US Indo-Pacific Command, visited Cambodia during a port call by the USS Savannah (LCS 28).
Then US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin visited Cambodia on June 4, 2024, and held working discussions with senior leaders of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Ministry of Defence, promoting the improvement of the military-to-military relations, starting from one point at a time.
The Secretary of State for the Ministry of National Defence stated that the modernisation of the Ream Naval Base is very important for strengthening Cambodia’s maritime security. Cambodia faces a number of problems, including illegal fishing, drug smuggling, and human trafficking. The modernisation of the Ream Naval Base aims to improve the docking facilities for military and civilian vessels, allowing for better maintenance services in Cambodian waters.
Dararath requested that the US side assist in training Cambodian blue helmets before they leave for their UN missions and requested that the US side continue to provide scholarships for officers of the RCAF to attend schools in the United States.
In response, the US Congressional delegation stated that they would bring these proposals up for discussion with the US government in terms of helping train Cambodian blue helmets and providing scholarships for Royal Cambodian Armed Forces officers to attend US schools.
