Layering Security: Why Cambodia Must Broaden Its Strategic Partnerships in an Unstable World

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet attends the 20th East Asia Summit during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 27, 2025 | Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP

In an article for Cambodianess, Raksmey Him and Chhaytith Try asserts that as regional and international security pressures intensify, Cambodia must deliberately deepen and diversify its security partnerships to better navigate an unpredictable landscape and protect its national interests.

Cambodia’s security challenges are growing in both scale and complexity. They span traditional concerns such as safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as non-traditional threats including transnational crime, multi-domain security risks, and natural disasters.

The environment Cambodia operates in today is far more demanding than in the past, requiring sharper tools and broader cooperation.

Responding effectively means strengthening national capabilities. But capability is not just about acquiring hardware. It also includes building strong institutions, creating effective systems to maximize resources, and cultivating the diplomatic and strategic relationships that allow Cambodia to operate confidently within wider security networks.

One of the most practical ways to achieve this is through sustained and strategic security cooperation with a wide range of trusted partners.