King Norodom Sihamoni on Monday officially appointed Hun Manet as the next Cambodian Prime Minister, replacing his father Hun Sen.
According to a decree published on Hun Sen’s Telegram channel, the King appointed Manet as the Prime Minister of the 7th mandate. He is now obligated to continue the process to receive approval from the National Assembly.
“The King issued a royal decree appointing Dr. Hun Manet as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for the 7th legislature of the National Assembly,” Hun Sen said on his Telegram channel.
According to the schedule, the National Assembly will meet on August 21 to vote for 125 new parliamentarians. They will be sworn in on the afternoon of that day at the Royal Palace.
On August 22, the new parliament will convene and vote for the new government cabinet under Manet.
Manet, 45, was born on October 20, 1977, in Memot, Kampong Cham under the Khmer Rouge regime. He was educated in Phnom Penh and went on to join the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in 1995. In the same year, he enrolled at the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point.
When he graduated in May 1999, it is said that he became the first Cambodian West Point graduate. He went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in economics and was recruited as Lieutenant of the RCAF.
According to a book on his three brothers, written in Khmer by Chhay Sophal, Manet’s siblings include Hun Kamsot who died during birth in 1976, Hun Mana, Hun Manith, Hun Many, Hun Maly, and Hun Malis, who is an adopted daughter.
Manet was married on January 8, 2006 to Pich Chanmony, daughter of secretary of state at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, Pich Sophoan. Chanmony studied in the UK and holds a degree in public health.
They have two daughters and a son: Hun Pich Monyvorleak, Hun Pich Monylyna, and Hun Pich Monyrithsith.
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