Hor Namhong (, ; born 15 November 1935) is a Member of the Supreme Privy Council to His Majesty the King of Cambodia since 2023. He is also a member of the Cambodian People's Party and has been a Deputy Prime Minister since 2004. He served as a Cambodian diplomat who served in the government of Cambodia as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1993 and again from 1998 to 2016. He also served as Cambodia's foreign minister for a combined tenure of 20 years. His official title is Samdech Issara Wites Panha Hor Namhong ().

Early life and education

Born at Phnom Penh, Hor Namhong was educated at the École royale d'administration (diplomatic section) in Cambodia. There have been accusations that he collaborated with his captors but Hor Namhong denies the accusations and was successful in a defamation suit against his accusers. On April 27, 2011, Hor Namhong lost a defamation suit in the French Supreme Court in which he claimed he was innocent of atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 through 1979.

In July 2011 Namhong lodged a protest with United States officials regarding a leaked diplomatic cable. The undated cable claimed that Namhong "became head of the Beng Trabek (sic) camp and he and his wife collaborated in the killing of many prisoners."

Subsequent career

thumb|left|250px|Namhong shaking hands with US Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., on 12 June 2012.]]

In 1980, following the fall of the Khmer Rouge, Hor Namhong joined the government as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was the longest serving Cambodian foreign minister.

Personal life

Hor Namhong is married, having five children. His eldest son, Hor Sothoun, is Permanent Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and his two other sons serve as ambassadors: Hor Nambora as Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Hor Monirath as Ambassador to Japan (current Secretary of State of the Ministry of Tourism).

Awards

National

  • 60px Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia