Prak Sokhonn

Prak Sokhonn (Khmer: ប្រាក់ សុខុន; born 3 May 1954) is a Cambodian politician, diplomat and journalist who served in the Cabinet of Cambodia as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia from 2016 to 2023,[2] and Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia from 2018 to 2023.

In this Cambodian name, the surname is Prak. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Sokhonn.
His Excellency
Prak Sokhonn
MP
ប្រាក់ សុខុន
Sokhonn’s portrait, 2018
Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia
In office
6 September 2018 – 22 August 2023
Prime MinisterHun Sen
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
In office
5 April 2016 – 22 August 2023
Prime MinisterHun Sen
Preceded byHor Namhong
Succeeded bySok Chenda Sophea
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications
In office
24 September 2013 – 4 April 2016
Prime MinisterHun Sen
Preceded bySo Khun
Succeeded byTram Iv Tek
Member of Parliament
for Kandal Province
Assumed office
5 September 2018
Majority422,253 (75.3%)
Personal details
Born (1954-05-03) 3 May 1954
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Political partyCambodian People's Party
SpouseKheng Samvada
Children3
Military service
Allegiance
Branch/service
Years of service1979–1993
Rank General[1]

Early life and education

Sokhonn was born on 3 May 1954 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.[3] Sokhonn studied law in Phnom Penh between 1972 and 1975.[3]

Career
Prak Sokhonn with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, 13 May 2022.

Sokhonn entered the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces in 1979, eventually becoming a 4-star general as well as the Spokesman of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.[4] He also spent three years as an ambassador in Europe.[5]

He was the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications from 2013 to 2016.[2]

He was sworn in as foreign minister on April 5, 2016.[5] His predecessor Hor Namhong retired from his post as foreign minister on 4 April 2016 after 17 years in office, though remained as a deputy prime minister.[6]

Prior to being named Minister of Posts and Telecommunications,[7] Sokhonn was Vice-President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority,[8] which regulates landmine clearance and assistance to landmine survivors in Cambodia.[9] During that tenure, he was elected to chair the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, better known as the Ottawa Treaty, aimed at eliminating landmines around the world, for one year, including presiding over the diplomatic treaty's meeting in Phnom Penh.[10][11] As President of the conference, he tried to promote adherence to the landmine treaty in South East Asia, succeeding in securing the participation of Myanmar in the meeting[12][13] The Eleventh Meeting of the States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (11MSP) chaired by Sokhonn, was the largest international gathering ever hosted in Cambodia.[14][15]

In November 2021, Hun Sen signaled he may replace Erywan Yusof with Sokhonn, who has criticized the Burmese military regime, when Cambodia chairs ASEAN next year, as ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar.[16] Sokhonn was confirmed to succeed Yusof on 1 January 2022.[17]

Personal life

Sokhonn is married to Kheng Samvada, and they have a daughter and two sons. He speaks fluent Khmer, French, and English.[4]

See also

References
  1. "PRAK Sokhonn Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  2. "Details of PM's cabinet reshuffle announced". The Phnom Penh Post. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  3. "Prak Sokhonn Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
  4. "Minister". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Retrieved 2019-08-22.
  5. Turton, Shaun; Dara, Mech (April 6, 2016), "End of an era as Sokhon steps up to Foreign Ministry", The Phnom Penh Post, retrieved June 8, 2017
  6. "Assembly OKs Hun Sen's Cabinet Reshuffle". The Cambodia Daily. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  7. "Mine Action | Reports | Monitor". the-monitor.org. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  8. "Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention: Faces of the landmine movement" (PDF). www.apminebanconvention.org. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  9. "CMAA". www.cmaa.gov.kh. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  10. "Le Cambodge presidera sur la Convention sur l'interdiction de mines antipersonnel" (PDF). www.apminebanconvention.org (in French). Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  11. "AP Mine Ban Convention: Day 5 | Decisions Taken". www.apminebanconvention.org. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  12. "AP Mine Ban Convention: Archives 2011". www.apminebanconvention.org. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  13. "Myanmar seriously considering international landmine treaty as part of its state reforms". ReliefWeb. 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  14. "World's largest anti-landmines conference kicks off in Cambodia". cambodianewstoday.blogspot.ch. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  15. "Ottawa Treaty begins in Cambodia". Handicap International. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  16. Robinson, Gwen (2021-11-01). "Can ASEAN overcome the 'Myanmar curse'?". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  17. "Cambodian foreign minister named ASEAN's new special envoy to Myanmar". Thai PBS World. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
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