Hun Manet | |
|---|---|
ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត | |
.jpg) Manet in 2025 | |
| Prime Minister of Cambodia | |
| Assumed office 22 August 2023 | |
| Monarch | Norodom Sihamoni |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by | Hun Sen |
| Vice President of theCambodian People's Party | |
| Assumed office 10 December 2023 | |
| President | Hun Sen |
| Serving with |
|
| Preceded by | Hun Sen (2015) |
| Member of theNational Assembly | |
| Assumed office 21 August 2023 | |
| Constituency | Phnom Penh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1977-10-20)20 October 1977 (age 48) |
| Political party | Cambodian People's Party |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents | |
| Relatives |
|
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | hunmanet |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Royal Cambodian Army |
| Years of service | 1995–2023 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars | 2008–2013 Cambodian–Thai border crisis |
| Awards |
|
Hun Manet[b] (born 20 October 1977) is a Cambodian politician and military officer who has served asPrime Minister of Cambodia and Vice President of the rulingCambodian People's Party (CPP) since 2023. He is the second childHun Sen, thepresident of the Senate and former prime minister, andBun Rany.
Manet grew up inPhnom Penh, where he received his general education before joining theRoyal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in 1995. That same year, he was admitted to theUnited States Military Academy at West Point, becoming the first Cambodian to graduate from the academy in 1999. Prior to entering politics, he served in theRoyal Cambodian Army (RCA), rising to the positions of deputy commander-in-chief and commander of the Royal Cambodian Army.
Following the2023 general election, his father announced his resignation as prime minister on 26 July, designating Manet as his successor. After receiving a royal nomination from KingNorodom Sihamoni, Manet andhis cabinet were unanimously approved by theNational Assembly and formally sworn into office on 22 August 2023. As prime minister, he has overseen major infrastructure projects such as the construction of theFunan Techo Canal and the completion ofSiem Reap–Angkor International Airport andTecho International Airport. His government has also managed challenges includingU.S. tariffs on Cambodian goods and theCambodia–Thailand border conflict.
Hun Manet was born on 20 October 1977 in Koh Thmar village,Memot District,Kampong Cham Province, in theKhmer Rouge-ruledDemocratic Kampuchea as the second son ofHun Sen andBun Rany.[1] He is ofTeochew Chinese heritage through his paternal grandfatherHun Neang.[2][3] His maternal grandparents were also of Chinese descent.[4][5] According to Sen, on the night of Manet's birth, a bright light flew over the roof of the house leading Sen to believe that his son was born from asupernatural being worshipped in Koh Thmar village.[6]
Manet grew up and received his general education in Phnom Penh and later joined theRoyal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in 1995, the same year he entered theUnited States Military Academy. Having received his diploma in May 1999, he became the first Cambodian academy graduate and one of only seven foreign cadets to graduate that year.[7] Upon graduation from West Point, he received hisbachelor's degree in economics and a commission as a lieutenant in theRoyal Cambodian Army (RCA). He also received aMaster of Arts in economics fromNew York University in 2002 and aDoctor of Philosophy in economics from theUniversity of Bristol in 2009. His doctoralthesis was titled "What determines the firm size distribution and structural integration? A cross-county study".[8]
Manet joined the RCAF in 1995, the same year he entered the United States Military Academy. He became amajor general in January 2011, just months after being named deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Army and deputy chief of the RCAF Joint Staff.[9] Manet played a prominent role in negotiations during the2008 Cambodian–Thai stand-off. He became alieutenant general in June 2013[10] and was later promoted to afour-star general in July 2018, coinciding with his new responsibilities as deputy commander-in-chief of the RCAF.[11] His younger brother,Hun Manith, also serves in the RCAF, as abrigadier general. On 20 April 2023, Manet was officially promoted to four-star general. Minister of DefenceTea Banh described Manet's promotion as a reflection of his efforts to "serve the nation, military and Cambodian people".[12]
On 30 June 2018, weeks before theparliamentary elections, Hun Sen appointed Manet to higher military positions in a bid to prepare his son for the premiership when he retired from politics or died, effectively solidifying the Hun political dynasty in Cambodia.[13] Hun Sen had mentioned Manet as his potential successor.[14]
In June 2020, Manet was promoted to head of the CPP's youth wing.[15]
He had been mentioned by both media outlets and Hun Sen himself as a candidate for prime minister.[16][17][18] On 4 December 2021, Manet was unanimously elected by the CPP Central Committee to be the party's future candidate for prime minister after Hun Sen, making him theprime minister-in-waiting.[19]
On 7 August 2023, King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree appointing Manet as Prime Minister of Cambodia and commissioning Manet to form acabinet.[20]
Shortly after his rise to the premiership, Manet hostedUniversal Peace Federation's delegation, a South Korean organization started byUnification Church founderSun Myung Moon, at thePeace Palace.[21]
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Hun Sen publicly announced his endorsement of Manet's candidacy for prime minister for the first time in December 2021.[18] Although Manet never publicly expressed interest in the role, he received strong support from several government ministers and party members as well as the influential CPP Standing Committee.[22] Hun Sen stressed, however, that succession would not take place until after the 2028 election.[citation needed]
Manet stood as afirst-ranked candidate in Phnom Penh for the National Assembly in the 2023 general election, a requirement to be appointed prime minister.[23] Three days after the election in which the CPP claimed a landslide victory, Hun Sen announced his resignation and confirmed that Manet would be the new prime minister.[24][25] The new cabinet was sworn in on 22 August.[25] Upon appointment as prime minister, Manet was granted the highest civilian honorary title ofSamdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet (Khmer Romanization Samțec Mahapavaradhipatī Hun Manet) (Khmer:សម្តេចមហាបវរធិបតី;[c] meaning "Great Lord and Supreme Leader Hun Manet").[26]
The election was widely criticized by international observers as being held in a restrictive political environment and neither free nor fair; the main opposition party was disqualified two months before the election, and an opposition leader was imprisoned.[27][28][29][30] On 7 August, King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree officially nominating Manet as the new prime minister. He invited Manet to form a new government for the seventh mandate, subject to avote of confidence from the National Assembly on 22 August.[20][31] Manet's cabinet was confirmed unanimously by the National Assembly on 22 August.[32] In February 2024, Manet promoted his younger brotherHun Many to deputy prime minister alongside his current role as civil service minister.[33]
One of Manet's official acts as prime minister was to ban musical truck horns in March 2024, saying he was disturbed by “dancing on the street to the musical beats of big cars”.[34] Manet also instructed authorities to upgraderail transport across Cambodia.[35] On 5 August 2024, his administration launched the controversialFunan Techo Canal Project which would link theMekong River to Cambodia's coast, significantly reducing the country's reliance on Vietnamese ports.[36] TheCambodia–Laos–Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) has also come under public scrutiny over concerns that four of the country's provinces would be ceded to its neighbours.[37] Cambodia eventually withdrew from CLV-DTA on 23 September.[38]
In July 2025, his government passed legislation allowing for citizenship to be revoked, targeting those who conspire with foreign nations.[39]
As prime minister, Manet presided over an escalation of the2025 Cambodia–Thailand border conflict in July.[40] On 7 August, Manet nominated U.S. presidentDonald Trump for aNobel Peace Prize following his role in facilitating a ceasefire.[41] On 26 October, Manet and Thai prime ministerAnutin Charnvirakul officially signed the "Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord", witnessed by Malaysian prime ministerAnwar Ibrahim and U.S. presidentDonald Trump.[42]
Hun Manet is married toPich Chanmony, the daughter of Pich Sophoan, a former secretary of state at theMinistry of Labour.[43]
| Election | List | No. | Constituency | Votes | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | Rank | ||||||
| 2023 | CPP | 1 | Phnom Penh | 627,436 | 82.26% | 1st | Elected | |
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Cambodia 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Kingdom of Kampuchea (1945) | |
|---|---|
| French Protectorate (1945–1953) | |
| Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–1970) | |
| Khmer Republic (1970–1975) | |
| Democratic Kampuchea (1975–1979) | |
| People's Republic of Kampuchea andState of Cambodia (1979–1993) | |
| Kingdom of Cambodia (1993–present) | |
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| Prime Minister |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Prime Ministers | ||
| Ministers |
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