KEPO President Serey Sam Warns of Escalating Global Conflicts, Urges Dialogue

Richard Saunders,Phnom Penh, March 7 — Serey Sam, president of the Khmer Empire Peace Organisation (KEPO), has warned that the world is sliding deeper into conflict, citing flashpoints from the Middle East to Southeast Asia.

Sam said renewed instability in Iran, ongoing clashes along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, and tensions between Thailand and Cambodia were part of a broader pattern of escalating disputes. He noted that these conflicts, alongside others in different regions, risk creating what he described as “a dangerous spiral of violence” if left unchecked.

KEPO, a Cambodia-based peace initiative, is stepping up outreach to civil society groups, religious leaders and government decision-makers in an effort to counter the trend. Sam said the organisation was working to build dialogue across communities and encourage nonviolent solutions.

“The world does not need more weapons; it needs more wisdom,” Sam said in a statement. “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice and understanding.”

KEPO plans to host forums, partner with international organisations and launch awareness campaigns highlighting the human cost of war. Sam urged governments to resist militarisation and prioritise diplomacy, warning that failure to act could entrench divisions and prolong instability.