In the morning of 5 February 2024 at CCRS office in Phnom Penh, a group of 20 CCRS’ researchers got together for a brainstorming session. During this two and half hour’s meeting, Mr. Him Raksmey, CCRS’ Executive Director gave a quick update on past, present and future activities of the Center and solicited continued commitments from the participating researchers to build the Center into a well-known independent foreign policy think tank in Cambodia and in the region. While there will be a few important events which will take place during this February, Mr. Him Raksmey called on all CCRS’ researchers to attend the public lecture by the distinguished guest speaker, H.E. Mr. Jacques PELLET, Ambassador of France to Cambodia who will make a presentation on “Cambodia-France Relations in the New Context”. This event will be held on Friday, 9 February 2024 at Paññāsātra University of Cambodia (Toul Kork Campus), from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Ambassador Pou Sothirak, as Distinguished Senior Advisor to CCRS, added that the Center serves as pivotal platform for young Cambodian university students who are currently serving as researchers to come together to combine their intellectual synergy to make CCRS as an effective policy influencer for Cambodia and the region by pursuing its vision and objective as well as by actively producing credible research papers and other important research outputs that can address emerging challenges within the dynamic of the changing geostrategic and geopolitical landscape of the region.
During the interactive brainstorming session, CCRS’ researchers provided interesting comments and exchanged thought-provoking ideas on what they plan to do in the near future. Among the noticeable impressions and considerations gathered during the discussions, participating researchers expressed their yearning to take part in book projects such as Cambodia and ASEAN in their 25th Anniversary as well as another major research publication on issues related to the Development of Political and Social Transformation in the Contemporary Cambodia since 1993. With regards to CCRS’ short commentaries or opinion pieces, they have identified interesting issues which they are willing to write, including: (1) Green Energy Policy for better future of Cambodia, (2) A Road Map for Digital Transformation of Cambodia, (3) Myanmar Crisis: Hard Test for ASEAN’s Relevance, (4) Can AUKUS be the Strategic Rival to Deter the People’s Republic of China (PRC)? (5) ASEAN’s Hard Choices: China for Economic Largess or US for Security and Stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Mr. Him Rotha and Mr. Chhoun Vanndasambath, CCRS’ Deputy Executive Directors, also urged all researchers to frequently access CCRS’ website and actively contribute their comments and suggestions to make CCRS truly a think tank established by and for the younger generation of Cambodia.
The brainstorming session concluded in an atmosphere of friendship and renewed enthusiasm to push CCRS in its long journey to become a useful foreign policy think tank for and by young Cambodian intellectuals in order for them to raise their critical voice of their own and to become a useful platform to discuss current and strategic issues openly. The participants agreed to meet again next month.
