Cambodia's ruling party vows to uphold peace, boost socio-economic development

The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) on Sunday vowed to continue upholding peace, political stability, and security, while boosting economic development and reducing poverty, according to its communique.

"The convention makes efforts to strengthen peace, political stability, security, social order, and obstructs actions that may lead the country into chaos," said the communique released after the 39th Convention of the CPP's Central Committee.

It said the CPP would continue to raise high democracy, rights, and freedom of the people, while fortifying rule of law and strengthening justice and equity for every citizen.

The convention urged economic development to achieve its goal of 7 percent growth in 2016, while making efforts to reduce poverty at the rate of 1 percent per annum.

The ruling party also pledged to increase the monthly salaries for the civil servants and armed forces to the target of over 1 million riel (250 U.S. dollars) in 2018 and urged the increase of minimum wages for workers in garment and footwear factories to at least 160 U.S. dollars in 2018.

The CPP has ruled the country since 1979. Its current central committee consists of 545 members.

According to the communique, the convention also discussed a strategy towards upcoming local and national elections.

"The convention gets the party ready for forthcoming fourth term communal elections in 2017 and further steps towards the sixth legislative term National Assembly members' elections in 2018," it said.

The two-day convention was chaired by CPP's President Hun Sen, who is the prime minister of Cambodia.

"As a ruling party, the CPP always honors its promises with the people and hopes to receive continued support from the people in the forthcoming elections," Hun Sen wrote on his official Facebook page on Sunday. Enditem