AKP Phnom Penh, January 29, 2025 --

Cambodia and France have vowed to enhance and expand their bilateral relations, with a focus on achieving a strategic partnership.

Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment during a meeting here last week between Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. PRAK Sokhonn and H.E. Jacques PELLET, Ambassador of France to Cambodia, according to a press release of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation made public this afternoon.

In the realm of defence, both sides praised their collaborative efforts in training Cambodian forces and supporting peacekeeping operations, which led to an increase of female participation to 20.8 percent in 2024. In the cultural and educational spheres, France reaffirmed her support through through university scholarships, professional and technical training, and the Royal Ballet tour to France in 2025.

For his part, Ambassador PELLET also took the opportunity to convey the hope of French leaders that Cambodia would send high-level Cambodian representatives to attend key global events in France in 2025, including the Summit for Action on Artificial Intelligence, the "Nutrition for Growth Summit,” and the United Nations Ocean Conference. In response, H.E. PRAK Sokhonn reaffirmed Cambodia's commitment to actively participating in these initiatives, stressing the importance of international cooperation in addressing global challenges.

Both sides also acknowledged the significant progress made in bilateral relations, underpinned by a long-standing friendship and shared values. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised the importance of high-level exchanges in recent years, in particularly the visit of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni and the visit of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister, to France. Moreover, he shared his plans for an upcoming working visit to France, further demonstrating Cambodia's commitment to enhancing its relationship with France. In return, Ambassador Jacques PELLET outlined forthcoming French delegations to Cambodia.

Besides, the meeting highlighted a shared ambition to deepen bilateral political consultations, with the next session scheduled to take place in Phnom Penh in 2025. This will further solidify the promising collaboration between Cambodia and France on the international stage.

By C. Nika