June 4, 2024 – Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided a readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Secretary Austin met with Prime Minister Hun Manet, Minister of National Defence Tea Seiha, and President of the Senate Hun Sen. He also engaged with Cambodian alumni of U.S. professional military education (PME) programs, as well as cadets from the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy visiting Cambodia.
The discussions focused on strengthening the U.S.-Cambodia bilateral defense relationship to support regional peace and security. Key topics included the resumption of military training exchanges on disaster assistance and United Nations Peacekeeping, training on de-mining and unexploded ordnance clearance, and Cambodia’s access to U.S. PME programs. Both sides expressed a commitment to continuing these discussions.
This visit marks Secretary Austin’s second trip to Cambodia as Secretary of Defense, following his attendance at the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Siem Reap in November 2022.–News Desk