Human Rights Council - 30th Regular Session
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia
29 September 2015
We thank the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Cambodia, Professor Rhona Smith, for her latest report. We are pleased that Professor Smith was able to undertake her first official visit to Cambodia last week.
We welcome Cambodia’s ongoing constructive engagement with the international human rights mechanisms, including with treaty bodies, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ field office in Phnom Penh, and with the Special Rapporteur.
We urge full implementation of the 2014 agreement between the Cambodian People’s Party and the Cambodia National Rescue Party on parliamentary and electoral reform. Australian funded experts are working with the Cambodian Government to strengthen its identification system, which forms the basis of Cambodia’s voter registry and electoral reform efforts. Securing this reform is vital to Cambodia consolidating its democratic institutions and to ensure free and fair elections in the years ahead.
We again thank the Special Rapporteur for her work and would be interested in the Special Rapporteur’s priorities for her mandate.