KL peace accord
The KL (Kuala Lumpur) Peace Accord refers to a landmark peace agreement signed on October 26, 2025, between Thailand and Cambodia to resolve an escalating border conflict that had resulted in armed clashes, casualties, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people since July 2025.
Background and Context
The accord followed a period of military escalation and clashes along the Cambodia–Thailand border, especially around disputed temple sites like Preah Vihear and Prasat Ta Muen Thom.
An immediate July 2025 ceasefire (sometimes called the Putrajaya Agreement) set the stage for further negotiations, with ASEAN and international mediation playing a key role.
Terms of the KL Peace Accord
Peace Principles and Non-Use of Force: Both countries reaffirmed strict adherence to the UN Charter and ASEAN Charter principles, pledging to resolve all disputes peacefully and respect current boundaries. They committed to refrain from threats or use of force.
Implementation of Existing Border Agreements: The accord reconfirmed the validity and use of existing mechanisms such as the General Border Committee, Regional Border Committee, and Joint Boundary Commission for peaceful settlement of border issues.
Military De-Escalation:
Both sides agreed to withdraw heavy and destructive weapons from the border areas under the supervision of an ASEAN Observer Team (AOT).
- Military liaison teams will draft a detailed action plan with clear timelines for withdrawal and de-escalation.
- The AOT, including Malaysian troops, will monitor the implementation to prevent further hostilities.
- Information Restraint: Both governments committed to avoiding misinformation, false accusations, and harmful rhetoric in official and unofficial communication to reduce tensions.
Confidence-Building and Diplomatic Restoration: The accord mandates immediate implementation of joint civil-military programs and border coordination frameworks, aiming to fully restore diplomatic relations and promote mutual trust.
Humanitarian Demining: Joint operations will be conducted to remove landmines and unexploded ordnance to safeguard civilian lives and aid socioeconomic development in the border region.
Cessation of Hostilities and Prisoner Release:
- The declaration recognizes the end of active hostilities upon completion of de-escalation.
- Thailand committed to promptly releasing 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during the July 2025 conflict as a confidence-building gesture. The prisoner release began promptly following the signing.
- Transnational Crime Cooperation: Both countries agreed to strengthen coordination against trafficking, illegal arms trade, smuggling, and related cross-border crimes.
Timelines and Implementation
- The formal signing of the accord happened on October 26, 2025, during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, with the enforcement expected to start immediately as per specific provisions.
- Following the July 28, 2025, Putrajaya ceasefire, the KL Peace Accord builds on that foundation, marking a move from ceasefire to detailed peace implementation.
- Immediate steps post-signing included prisoner releases and the initial phases of military de-escalation under ASEAN observer supervision.
- The timeline for full troop withdrawal, military de-escalation, and humanitarian demining is to be detailed by joint military liaison teams, under the overall monitoring of the ASEAN Observer Team but is expected to proceed progressively over weeks to months based on operational logistics and trust-building progress.
Immediate and Longer-Term Impact
The KL Peace Accord was widely applauded as a critical de-escalation step for the region, reinforcing ASEAN’s diplomatic role.
While the agreement brought immediate relief and monitoring mechanisms, analysts note that the long-term repair of Cambodia–Thailand relations and effective border management will require ongoing trust, joint action, and adherence to the agreement’s spirit.
Signatories and Witnesses
| Signatory |
Position |
| Hun Manet |
Prime Minister of Cambodia |
| Anutin Charnvirakul |
Prime Minister of Thailand |
| Witness |
Position |
| Anwar Ibrahim |
Prime Minister of Malaysia |
| Donald Trump |
President of the United States |
| |
|
|
The KL Peace Accord is now viewed as a case study for ASEAN’s cooperative security model and mediation in Southeast Asia’s complex border disputes.
Climate Risk Index 2026
The Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026 report, published by the environmental think tank Germanwatch at COP30 in November 2025, highlights the human and economic impacts of extreme weather events from 1995 to 2024.
Key Global Findings (1995–2024)
- Fatalities: More than 832,000 lives were lost globally.
- Affected Population: Approximately 5.7 billion people were affected by climate-related disasters.
- Economic Losses: Direct economic losses reached nearly USD 4.5 trillion (inflation-adjusted).
- Primary Hazards: Storms and heatwaves caused the majority of fatalities (33% each), while storms were responsible for the greatest economic losses (58%).
- Affected Countries: Countries in the Global South, particularly low- and lower-middle-income nations, are disproportionately affected.
Trends and Insights
- Increasing Impact: The report emphasizes that the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters continue to escalate, with rising impacts on vulnerable populations in particular.
- Disproportionate Burden: Developing countries and small island states face the most severe impacts despite contributing minimally to emissions. The report calls for urgent mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance efforts.
- Policy and Action Gap: While 62 countries have submitted National Adaptation Plans, actual implementation remains weak, underscoring the need for scaled climate finance and operationalizing loss and damage mechanisms.
Most Affected Countries
The index is retrospective, ranking countries based on realized risks.
| Rank |
Long-term Index (1995–2024) |
Annual Index (2024) |
| 1 |
Dominica |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| 2 |
Myanmar |
Grenada |
| 3 |
Honduras |
Chad |
| 9 |
India |
(Ranked 15th for 2024 data) |
India Specifics
- India is categorised as a country facing "continuous threats" from recurring extreme events, leaving little time for recovery.
- Over the three decades, India experienced nearly 430 extreme weather events (floods, cyclones, heatwaves, droughts).
- These events resulted in over 80,000 fatalities and approximately USD 170 billion in economic losses.
The report underscores the urgent need for accelerated global climate action, better adaptation strategies, and robust climate financing mechanisms to address the growing human and economic toll of climate change.
Critical Call to Action
The CRI 2026 underscores the escalating cost of inaction and emphasizes the urgent need for global efforts to reduce emissions, improve resilience, and implement comprehensive adaptation measures. The report aligns with the goals set at COP30, promoting climate justice and increased climate finance to address mounting losses and fatalities.
The index serves as a stark reminder that without immediate and scaled policy responses, human and economic tolls from climate change will continue to rise globally.
Download Pdf
