News|Border DisputesUS to support Cambodian-Thai ceasefire with $45m aid pledgeThe aid is earmarked to help support both countries in border stabilisation efforts, demining and tackling drug trafficking and cyberscams.
The United States has announced a $45 million aid package aimed at reinforcing a truce between Thailand and Cambodia. This initiative follows a ceasefire agreement signed in the presence of former President Donald Trump during his visit to Malaysia.
The United States has announced a $45 million aid package aimed at reinforcing a truce between Thailand and Cambodia. This initiative follows a ceasefire agreement signed in the presence of former President Donald Trump during his visit to Malaysia.
Michael DeSombre, the US Assistant Secretary for East Asia, stated that $20 million will be allocated to combating drug trafficking and cyber scams, which are significant concerns in Cambodia. An additional $15 million will be directed toward border stabilization efforts to support those displaced by recent conflicts. Furthermore, $10 million is designated for de-mining and the clearance of unexploded ordnance.
DeSombre met with senior officials from Thailand and Cambodia in Bangkok and Phnom Penh to discuss the implementation of the peace accords. These discussions are part of the ongoing efforts to stabilize the region following border clashes that reignited after a previous truce collapsed.
The recent ceasefire agreement, effective December 27, halted 20 days of fighting, which resulted in over 101 casualties and displaced more than half a million people on both sides of the border.
The United States has announced a $45 million aid package aimed at reinforcing a truce between Thailand and Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have a longstanding territorial dispute over their 800 km (500-mile) border, originally demarcated during the French colonial era. Both nations lay claim to several ancient temple ruins in the disputed area.
Efforts to maintain the truce continue, with Cambodia calling for the withdrawal of Thai forces from contested border areas. Allegations of ceasefire violations have been addressed, with Thailand retracting an earlier accusation against Cambodia.
The United States, maintaining its strategic interests, aims to support peace and stability in the region, working to strengthen its alliances with both Thailand and Cambodia. This aid package marks a continuation of these diplomatic efforts.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
