AKP Phnom Penh, August 29, 2026 -- Although Cambodia and Cameroon are more than 10,000 kilometres apart, a high-level Cameroonian delegation is set to travel to Phnom Penh to attend the 20th Francophonie Summit, scheduled for Nov. 15-16, 2026.

H.E. Dr. Pierre Flambeau Ngayap, a Cameroonian Senator who attended the 2nd Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC-2) in Phnom Penh, confirmed that Cameroon will participate in the upcoming summit.

“Concerning the next Francophonie Summit, which Cambodia will host in November, Cameroon has always been a member of the Francophonie, and the government of Cameroon will be attending this summit,” he told AKP on Friday.

H.E. Dr. Pierre Flambeau Ngayap said Cambodia and Cameroon currently enjoy very good relations and expressed confidence that the two countries will continue working to strengthen their ties.

“We hope that during the next Francophonie Summit in Cambodia in November, Cameroon will bring all support to the organisation and its participation in this summit,” he added.

Looking ahead, the Cameroonian Senator said there is significant potential for Cambodia and Cameroon to expand cooperation across various fields.

“It is important that the two countries continue to share experiences. We believe that the time has come to develop our relations in all domains,” he underlined.

Cambodia will host the 20th Francophonie Summit on Nov. 15-16, bringing together heads of state and government and representatives from around 90 French-speaking countries and institutions.

Regarding the upcoming summit, Mr. Sok Limsrorn, Deputy Director of the Department of French (Département d’Études Francophones – DEF) at the Institute of Foreign Languages of the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), told AKP recently that hosting the event represents not only an opportunity to strengthen Cambodia’s diplomatic and economic ties with the Francophone community, but also a chance to showcase the country’s culture, hospitality and growing engagement with the French-speaking world.

Beyond diplomacy, Mr. Sok Limsrorn said the summit would provide a unique opportunity for Cambodia to present itself to the international community.

He described Cambodians as people who appreciate the French language and Francophone culture, while also being known for their openness, friendliness and commitment to peace.

“This event is an opportunity to show the Francophone community and the world that Cambodians are warm, welcoming and peace-loving people,” he said. “We want the summit to run smoothly so that international guests leave with positive impressions of Cambodia and its people.”

The Francophonie was officially established on Mar. 20, 1970. Cambodia first joined the organisation as an observer at the 4th Francophonie Summit in Chaillot, Paris, in November 1991, before becoming a full member at the 5th Summit in Grand-Baie, Mauritius, in October 1993.

Today, the International Organisation of La Francophonie comprises 90 member states and governments, including 53 members, five associate members and 32 observers.

The upcoming summit is widely regarded as a prestigious opportunity for Cambodia to showcase its rich cultural heritage, diplomatic engagement and commitment to the values of the Francophonie on the global stage.

Cameroonian Senator H.E. Dr. Pierre Flambeau Ngayap

Sok Limsrorn, Deputy Director of the Department of French

By Heng Panha