In 1998, Cambodia began a new chapter in its long history. After decades marked by civil war, the Khmer Rouge regime, Vietnamese intervention, and political instability, the country entered a period of relative peace under Prime Minister Hun Sen. This era has been characterized by rapid economic growth, efforts to reckon with the past, and a remarkable revival of cultural traditions nearly lost during the 1970s.
Politically, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) consolidated its control over the government. The 2013 elections saw significant opposition gains when the Cambodia National Rescue Party won 55 seats in the National Assembly, but subsequent years brought increased restrictions on political opposition. In 2017, the government arrested opposition leader Kem Sokha and dissolved the CNRP. After nearly four decades as prime minister, Hun Sen stepped down in 2023, succeeded by his son Hun Manet, though Hun Sen announced his intention to remain active in politics through at least 2033.
The period also witnessed Cambodia's pursuit of justice for crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge era. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), a hybrid tribunal combining Cambodian and international judges, became operational in 2007. Over the following fifteen years, the tribunal convicted senior Khmer Rouge leaders including Duch, Nuon Chea, and Khieu Samphan for crimes against humanity and genocide. More than 3,800 civil parties participated in the proceedings, and the court ordered reparations projects including memorials, educational programs, and testimonial therapy for survivors.
Economically, Cambodia experienced remarkable growth, averaging approximately seven percent annually until the COVID-19 pandemic. Poverty rates declined from roughly 40 percent in the early 2000s to 14.2 percent by 2022. The United States became Cambodia's largest single export market, while China emerged as the dominant source of foreign investment. However, this growth came alongside persistent challenges including widespread land concessions, corruption, and inequality.
Perhaps most significant for Cambodia's long-term recovery has been the cultural revival. When the Khmer Rouge fell in 1979, approximately 90 percent of Cambodia's artists had not survived the regime. In 1998, genocide survivor Arn Chorn-Pond founded Cambodian Living Arts with just five students learning from Cambodia's remaining master artists. Over the following decades, CLA supported master artists in passing their knowledge to more than 300 students in various traditional art forms, while evolving to nurture a new generation of young artists through scholarships, fellowships, and creative support.
This cultural preservation extends to rural communities through The Khmer Magic Music Bus, co-founded by Arn and Cambodian musician Thorn Seyma in 2013. The Bus brings master musicians to villages across Cambodia where many people have never experienced live traditional music, creating connections between surviving artists and new generations.
Today, young Cambodians identify reducing corruption, increasing employment, and improving education as their top priorities for the country's future. Cambodia's contemporary period demonstrates both the ongoing challenges of building democratic institutions after conflict and the resilience of a society working to preserve its cultural heritage while looking toward the future.