PHNOM PENH: The Kingdom of Cambodia and the French Republic have agreed to further boost their bilateral cooperation in all sectors.

The agreement was made during a meeting between H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and visiting Mr. Bertrand LORTHOLARY, Director for Asia and Oceania of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of France at the ministry’s office in Phnom Penh early this week, according to a press release of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation AKP received on Feb. 8.

H.E. Prak Sokhonn is delighted to note the long-standing relations of friendship between Cambodia and France. He highly appreciated the recent working visit of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Paris on Dec. 13 last year.

H.E. Minister also expressed his deep satisfaction with recent visit of Mr. Olivier BECHT, Minister Delegate attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of Foreign Trade, Attractiveness, and the French Nationals Abroad. These two events have further strengthened the political and economic cooperation between the two countries. H.E. Prak Sokhonn briefed the Director on the success of Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2022 and Cambodia’s diligent efforts to help Myanmar in implementing the Five-point Consensus in order to bring this country back to normalcy through dialogues.

Mr. Bertrand LORTHOLARY deeply appreciated the Kingdom of Cambodia for the great success of her economic and social development, compared to his first visit to the Kingdom as a student in 1993. He also highly congratulated the Cambodian Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2022, especially in the context of the rise of challenges in the region and around the world, particularly in Myanmar Cambodia had made many sustained efforts throughout 2022 to help implement the five points of consensus approved by Head of State/Government of ASEAN States in order to defuse the tensions.

2023 marks the commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the National Independence of Cambodia and the establishment of the Pasteur Institute, the 30th anniversary of CIC Angkor, and the presence of the French Development Agency (AFD) in the country.