Cambodia & Eco Talents Destination: Francophonie bets on sustainable and inclusive tourism in the Asia-Pacific

On the occasion of the launch of the Destination Éco Talents project, led by the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Edgar Doerig, head of the OIF’s Asia‑Pacific office, detailed to us at the end of 2025 the ambitions of an initiative that intends to transform the face of tourism in the region, a few months before the 20th Summit of the Francophonie scheduled to take place in Cambodia.

Edgar Doerig @CG - OIF

Siem Reap, at the gates of the Angkor temples. It was in this history‑steeped setting that the OIF chose to open its regional workshop bringing together experts, officials, NGO representatives and sustainable tourism business actors from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. The occasion gave Edgar Doerig, a career Swiss diplomat and active figure in the Francophonie, the opportunity to return to the stakes of a pioneering project.

A diplomat in the service of the Francophonie

After representing Switzerland as ambassador to Chile and then to Qatar, Edgar Doerig exchanged the clothes of bilateral diplomacy for those of a multilateral actor. For three years he has led the OIF regional representation for the Asia‑Pacific, a strategic area where the organization deploys a range of ambitious programs.

“I arrived with a true Francophone vocation. After my embassy posts, it’s a different commitment — more collective, more carried by shared values. The Francophonie is a community of 300 million speakers worldwide, and here in the Asia‑Pacific, we are working to give it a concrete reality,” he confides.

In Cambodia, the OIF operates on several fronts: digitization of the civil registry, social projects aimed at women under the “Francophonie with Her” program, and the promotion of French throughout the region. The Regional Center for French Education in the Asia‑Pacific, attached to the OIF’s Paris headquarters, coordinates teacher training in particular.

“We support French teachers with continuing education. It’s foundational work, less visible than major events, but absolutely essential to anchor the language over the long term,” he emphasizes.

Cambodia, a land of Francophone commitment

For Edgar Doerig, Cambodia occupies a special place in the Asian Francophone space. He sees there a sincere commitment rooted at the highest level of the State, beginning with His Majesty the King, an accomplished Francophone.

“It is in this country that you really see commitment at the leadership level. In the Asia‑Pacific, it’s unique. His Majesty the King is a perfect Francophone, and it is also thanks to his support that member states voted for Cambodia to host the 20th Summit of the Francophonie,” explains Edgar Doerig.

Edgar Doerig @CG - OIF

This summit, scheduled for autumn 2026, represents a historic rendezvous for the country. Between 40 and 45 heads of state and government are expected, along with their delegations and a significant community of entrepreneurs. The reference to the Villers‑Cotterêts Summit, held in France under the French presidency, gives a sense of the ambitions.

“The idea is really to create a political platform, to show this rising country to the Francophone world, to leaders. It will be a major political, cultural, economic and tourist event. Cambodian authorities are already working intensively on it, and the OIF is actively supporting them in this preparation,” he details.

Destination Éco Talents: a pilot project to reinvent tourism

It is in this favorable context that the launch of Destination Éco Talents, a flagship OIF project in the field of sustainable tourism, takes place. The initiative aims to create in Siem Reap a platform that brings together local actors, supports small entrepreneurs and highlights sites still little known to the general public.

“Here in Siem Reap we are piloting a platform to bring actors together, to support small entrepreneurial initiatives that want to make accessible sites not yet explored. The objective is to benefit localities, minorities — and also to ensure that Francophones find work, that French is valued in this tourism,” explains Edgar Doerig.

The project is not content with good intentions: training in tourism best practices will be offered to professionals, and concrete partnerships are being finalized with local artisans.

“We should not hide behind big words. What we are doing is very concrete: training, tools, networks. During these three days of the workshop, we are looking for partners, we are building links. That’s how we add our stone to the edifice,” he insists.

The regional approach is at the heart of the system. The OIF intends to contribute to a systemic transformation by relying on strategies developed at all levels — local, national, international — and on cooperation between ASEAN countries and those of the Mekong basin.

“Mass tourism exists, we must accept it. But strategies must change, at every level. Regional cooperation between the Mekong countries is essential if we want to succeed in this change together,” he affirms with conviction.

French, a major asset for Cambodian tourism

Beyond environmental issues, Destination Éco Talents also relies on the linguistic and cultural dimension. Cambodia attracts each year a significant number of Francophone travelers — French, Swiss, Belgians and others — for whom the presence of French in the tourism offer is a real advantage.

“There are many French, many Swiss, many Francophones overall who visit this magnificent country each year. The Francophone ecosystem of Siem Reap is already very real — we have created links, exchanges. Now it’s a question of structuring it and making it bear fruit,” Edgar Doerig congratulates.

He also stresses the overall coherence of the project:

“We will start with training in tourism best practices, very concrete projects with artisans. And we are looking for partners. That’s Francophonie in action: not just speeches, but real opportunities for men and women on the ground.”

Three days of workshop, dozens of participants, an entire region examining its tourism practices. Destination Éco Talents begins its journey.

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IN BRIEF · EDGAR DOERIG

A career Swiss diplomat, Edgar Doerig served as ambassador to Chile and then to Qatar before joining the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. For three years he has directed the OIF’s representation for the Asia‑Pacific and oversees projects in about ten countries in the region. He is also involved in preparations for the 20th Summit of the Francophonie scheduled to take place in Cambodia in autumn 2026.