AKP Phnom Penh, July 11, 2026 --

H.E. Nicolas Forissier, France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, wrapped up his two-day (July 9-10) official visit to Cambodia, bringing promising commitments to elevate bilateral trade and investment to new heights.

During his stay in Cambodia, Minister Delegate Forissier held a series of strategic meetings with key Cambodian government figures, including Minister of Commerce H.E. Mrs. Cham Nimul, Minister of Mines and Energy H.E. Keo Rottanak, and Minister of Health H.E. Chheang Ra, and engaged directly with representatives of the active French business community in Cambodia, which currently spans over 200 enterprises.

He lauded the fruitful outcomes of his mission at a press conference held on July 10 at the French Embassy in Phnom Penh on the final day of his visit.

The high-level discussions touched heavily upon trade diversification, sustainable infrastructure development, energy transition, and improving healthcare infrastructure across the country, he said.

“In my visit here, I want to demonstrate the strengthening of our relationship, which will be interpreted by deepening economic ties,” H.E. Nicolas Forissier said. “We must continue to invest in various sectors that align with Cambodia's development trajectory and its ambition to expand into a developed economy.”

He emphasised that France views the Kingdom of Cambodia not merely as an export market, but as a valued long-term partner whose economic success aligns with Paris’s own interests.

The trade volume between France and Cambodia reached US$568 million in 2025, up 11.7 percent compared to 2024, according to an official report from the Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia.

Cambodia exported US$447 million worth of products to France, a year-on-year increase by 12.5 percent.

The Kingdom’s exports to France are heavily concentrated in garments, footwear, and agricultural products.

A notable milestone of the visit included his presence at the signing of a major service agreement between Cambodia’s WorldBridge Group and France’s SEMMARIS to conduct a feasibility study for a modern international agro-food wholesale market in Phnom Penh.

French Trade Minister’s official visit was explicitly structured to lay the groundwork for French President H.E. Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to Cambodia in November 2026 for the 20th Francophonie Summit.

At the press conference, H.E Nicolas Forissier officially confirmed that French President H.E Emmanuel Macron will participate in the landmark summit in person, signaling the profound historical, cultural, and diplomatic ties binding the two nations together.

By Chea Vannak