Hun Manet

Samdech Hun Manet (ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត, Hŭn Manêt ; born 20 October 1977) is a Cambodian politician and general who has been serving as the prime minister of Cambodia since 2023, succeeding his father, Hun Sen. He is also the vice president of the ruling Cambodian People's Party. Prior to his political appointment, he served in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) as deputy commander-in-chief and the commander of the Royal Cambodian Army. Upon appointment as prime minister, he was granted the highest civilian honorary title of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet (សម្តេចមហាបវរធិបតី; meaning "Great Lord and Supreme Leader Hun Manet").

Manet grew up and received his general education in Phnom Penh and later joined the armed forces in 1995, the same year, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. After receiving his diploma in 1999, Manet became the first Cambodian to graduate from the academy.

Following the 2023 Cambodian general election, Hun Sen announced his resignation as prime minister on 26 July, officially making Manet the prime minister-designate. Following the King's nomination, he and his cabinet were approved by the National Assembly unanimously and were formally sworn into office on 22 August 2023.

Early life and education
Manet was born on 20 October 1977 in Koh Thmar village, Memot District, Kampong Cham Province, in the Khmer Rouge-ruled Democratic Kampuchea as the second son of Hun Sen and Bun Rany. He is of Teochew Chinese heritage through his grandfather Hun Neang. According to Sen, on the night of Manet's birth, a bright light flew over the roof of the house, which led Sen to believe that his son was born from a supernatural being that is worshipped in Koh Thmar village.

Manet grew up and received his general education in Phnom Penh and later joined the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in 1995, the same year he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. 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. Upon graduation from West Point, he received his bachelor's degree in economics and a commission as a lieutenant in the Royal Cambodian Army. He also received his Master of Arts in economics from New York University, US, in 2002, and a PhD in economics from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, in 2009, with a thesis titled "What determines the firm size distribution and structural integration? A cross-county study".

Military service
Hun Manet joined the army in 1995, the same year he entered the United States Military Academy. He became Major General in January 2011, just months after being named Deputy Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army and Deputy Chief of the RCAF Joint Staff. Manet played a prominent role in negotiations during the 2008 Cambodian–Thai stand-off. He became a lieutenant general in June 2013, and was later promoted to a four-star general in July 2018 coinciding with his taking over responsibilities as the deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RFAC). His younger brother, Hun Manith, also serves in the army, as brigadier general. On 20 April 2023, Hun Manet was officially promoted to four-star general. Minister of Defence Tea Banh described his promotion as a reflection of his efforts to "serve the nation, military and Cambodian people".

On 30 June 2018, weeks before the parliamentary elections, Hun Sen appointed Hun Manet into 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. Hun Sen had mentioned him as his potential successor.

Political career
In June 2020, Manet was promoted to head of the CPP's youth wing.

He had been mentioned by both media outlets and Hun Sen himself as a candidate for prime minister. This was formally made official on 4 December 2021 when Manet was unanimously elected by the Cambodian People's Party Central Committee to be the party's future candidate for prime minister after Hun Sen, making him the prime minister-in-waiting.

On 7 August 2023, King Norodom Sihamoni, issued a Royal Decree appointing him as Prime Minister of Cambodia to organize the Council of Ministers for the Royal Government of the seventh mandate.

Shortly after his rise to the prime ministership, Manet met with fringe global diplomats in order to bolster his credentials. Manet met with Charles Yang from the South Korean organization Universal Peace Federation, founded by Sun Myung Moon, a controversial cult-like internationalist and convicted felon of tax evasion. Charles Yang called Manet a "role model in bringing about peace". Yang has met previously with other newly elected leaders Liberia.

Premiership
Hun Sen publicly announced his endorsement of Manet's candidacy for prime minister for the first time in December 2021. Although having never publicly expressed interest in the role, he received strong support from several government ministers, party members as well as the CPP's influential Standing Committee. Hun Sen stressed, however, that succession would not take place until at least after the 2028 election.

Hun Manet stood as a first-ranked candidate in Phnom Penh for the National Assembly in the 2023 general election, a requirement to be appointed prime minister. Three days after the election, in which the CPP claimed a landslide victory, Hun Sen announced his resignation and confirmed that Hun Manet would be the new prime minister. The new cabinet was sworn in on 22 August. The election was widely criticized by international observers as being 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. 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 a vote of confidence from the National Assembly on 22 August. His cabinet was confirmed unanimously by the National Assembly on 22 August. In February 2024, Manet promoted his younger brother Hun Many, the Minister of Civil Service, to deputy prime minister.

Among Manet's official acts as prime minister is the banning of musical truck horns in March 2024, saying that he was disturbed by “dancing on the street to the musical beats of big cars”. Manet also instructed authorities to upgrade rail transport across Cambodia.

Personal life
Hun Manet is married to Pich Chanmony, the daughter of Pich Sophoan, a former secretary of state at the Ministry of Labour. Hun's cousin, Hun To, is a director of a conglomerate that operates Huione Guarantee, a large online marketplace for illicit cryptocurrency transactions enabling the global scam industry and human trafficking.