Cambodia Reclaims Idle Island Projects for Defence Use

[geovalin]

 

Cambodia will reclaim several abandoned island development projects and repurpose them for national defence, Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on 5 April, marking a significant shift in land use strategy in the country’s coastal regions.

 

The statement came during the inauguration of the Cambodia–China Joint Logistics and Training Centre, where Hun Manet confirmed that some islands previously handed to private developers had remained inactive and would now be reassessed for strategic use.

 

“Now is the time for the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) to start re-evaluating some of the islands that were licensed and left behind,” he said, signalling a more assertive approach to managing state land. “Let’s think about where it was taken away and leave it for the navy for our long-term defence base.”

 

The Prime Minister outlined a broader vision for balancing national security with economic needs, noting that while defence must be prioritised, the country must also reserve space for private investment and residential development.

 

“This kind of thinking should be differentiated,” he said. “We cannot only think about the army without considering the growth of the economic and commercial needs of the people.”

 

Hun Manet directed the CDC to work closely with the Ministry of National Defence to identify and designate islands suitable for military purposes. These areas will be formally classified as public land under national defence control and subject to strict regulation.

 

The move reflects Cambodia’s evolving approach to land management, particularly in sensitive coastal areas where overlapping interests of defence, development, and conservation often collide. It also comes amid growing geopolitical tensions in the region, with Cambodia seeking to bolster its naval infrastructure, particularly around the strategically located Ream base.

 

Observers say the government's more proactive stance could tighten oversight of development projects, many of which have faced criticism for stagnation or lack of transparency in recent years.

 

The new policy appears designed to both secure national interests and present a more deliberate framework for future private investment—one that balances security with sustainable growth.

 

-2025-04-07