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Three years in the past, at this time, a single humane act by Prime Minister Hun Sen served as a wakeup name to a world stricken with worry over the fast unfold of a brand new and really lethal illness – Covid-19.
In efforts to stop this illness from getting into their shores, international locations have been sealing their borders to fend off the risk.
Within the midst of this a cruise ship, with greater than 2,000 on board, was making an attempt to make port after spending months at sea.
Alas, the vessel was turned away from port to port till Mr Hun Sen stepped in.
The cruise ship was turned away from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and the Philippines because of issues over the virus.
Within the morning of February 14, 2020, the MS Westerdam docked in Preah Sihanouk province’s Sihanoukville and the relieved passengers have been allowed ashore.
This gesture gained worldwide reward and the World Well being Organisation (WHO) referred to as Cambodia “A Small Nation with a Massive Coronary heart” – welcoming the Westerdam.
It additionally confirmed the Kingdom’s dedication to internationally-established humanitarian responses and cemented its status as a rustic which opens its doorways to those that are in want.
Cambodia’s response to the MS Westerdam disaster demonstrated {that a} nation with fewer assets can contribute to world well being safety.
It might take a humanitarian strategy in a public well being disaster and ship a measured, coordinated response regardless of the uncertainty and sophisticated challenges.
On February 14, 2021, Mr Hun Sen posted on his Fb web page that the day marked the one-year anniversary of Cambodia accepting the worldwide cruise ship MS Westerdam, which had 1,455 passengers and 802 crew from 41 international locations, to dock in Sihanoukville.
He stated that the federal government clearly remembers that at the moment the world was petrified of the unfold of the Covid-19 pandemic and plenty of international locations didn’t enable the MS Westerdam to dock, although it was identified that there have been greater than a thousand human lives on board going through hunger.
“Hundreds of lives couldn’t be left to die in the course of the ocean. Though Cambodia is a small nation with no assets like a few of the large ones, Cambodia has a big humanitarian coronary heart, welcomed the ship and rescued all of the vacationers and crew from the ship, and offered lodging and remedy for all of the vacationers to journey by airplane again to their households of their residence nation safely,” he stated.
Prime Sopheak, spokesman of the Ministry of Tourism, stated yesterday that regardless of being conscious of the dangers, Cambodia had taken very daring and decisive steps to help these in have to take care of widespread world threats such because the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
The Cambodian authorities made a daring resolution with good religion to permit the Westerdam cruise ship to dock in Sihanoukville, after six international locations had denied its entry as a result of concern over the unfold of Covid-19, he stated.
He famous that the Premier was in Sihanoukville to welcome the passengers and confused the significance of ethical duty and worldwide partnership in coping with the outbreak of Covid-19.
The Prime Minster had instantly instructed his authorities to take all measures to make sure that all passengers and crew safely and easily return to their residence international locations, Sopheak stated.
“We want to revisit this reminiscence as a result of it’s an incredible occasion that the world could be very excited about, particularly when world leaders congratulated Cambodia,” he stated.
Kin Phea, director-general of the Worldwide Relations Institute on the Royal Academy of Cambodia, stated yesterday that permitting the Westerdam to dock was a humanitarian gesture that confirmed the federal government attaches nice significance to saving lives.
The Cambodian authorities has by no means discriminated in opposition to any ethnic group, political social gathering, or different international locations as an enemy of Cambodia, however helps all nationalities in want of help or emergency, Cambodia has all the time acted to the perfect of its skill, he stated.
“It’s a testomony to Cambodia’s excessive duty as a member of the United Nations and consistent with its international coverage, which all the time contributes to humanitarian work and duty on the worldwide stage,” he added.
Deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province Lengthy Dimanche stated yesterday that Mr Hun Sen’s act to permit the Westerdam to dock on the Sihanoukville had surprised world which was dwelling in worry of Covid-19 instances.
He famous that world leaders praised the generosity of Cambodian leaders and residents who pitied the foreigners or vacationers on MS Westerdam.
For the previous three years, the authorities of Preah Sihanouk nonetheless have unforgettable reminiscences of the occasion, and the world has come to know Cambodia higher, he added.
“We urge all vacationers, particularly those that have travelled on MS Westerdam, to go to Cambodia once more, as we’re internet hosting a variety of worldwide occasions that can delight guests, Cambodia and the world is recovering from Covid-19 and the financial system has recovered,” Dimanche added.
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