AKP Phnom Penh, February 24, 2026 --

Cambodia and France moved to bolster bilateral investment cooperation on Tuesday as senior officials met to discuss strategic economic partnerships in the lead-up to Cambodia's hosting of the 20th Francophonie Summit.

H.E. Suon Sophal, Deputy Secretary-General of the Cambodia Investment Committee at the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), welcomed H.E. Thomas Lam, President of the France-Cambodia Parliamentary Friendship Group, for talks aimed at expanding French business presence in the Kingdom.

During the meeting, H.E. Suon Sophal underscored the Royal Government’s commitment to transforming the two nations' longstanding historical ties into concrete commercial ventures. He outlined a series of the Royal Government initiatives designed to enhance investor confidence and attract high-potential French firms, including the implementation of a "smart" and competitive investment regime, ongoing upgrades to physical infrastructure, and the development of specialized vocational training programmes tailored to market needs.

He also highlighted the success of the Cambodia-EU Public-Private Sector Dialogue, which has convened three times to address investor concerns and streamline business operations. He called on the Friendship Group to champion "Business-to-Business" (B2B) initiatives, positioning the 2026 Francophonie Summit as a landmark opportunity to host a major investment and business forum.

In response, H.E. Thomas Lam commended Cambodia's rapid economic growth and pledged to promote French investment in key sectors such as agro-industry, logistics, automotive, electronics, healthcare, tourism, and financial services.

H.E. Thomas Lam is on a working mission to Cambodia from Feb. 23 to 28. 

By K. Rithy Reak