Cambodia–France: Paris Lays the Groundwork for a Stronger Economic Partnership Ahead of Macron's Visit

Two days in Phnom Penh, a roadmap for the months ahead. On July 9 and 10, France's Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, Nicolas Forissier, held a series of meetings with Cambodian officials and the French business community, in a visit designed as the direct prelude to President Emmanuel Macron's trip to Phnom Penh next November for the 20th Francophonie Summit.

Nicolas Forissier, France's Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness

A packed agenda for an assertive economic diplomacy

Over forty-eight hours, Nicolas Forissier held a string of meetings with the key figures shaping Cambodia's economic policy: Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul, Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rottanak, and Minister of Health Chheang Ra. The Minister Delegate also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth, before meeting representatives of the French business community in Cambodia, which today numbers more than 200 companies established in the Kingdom.

His first stop, on the morning of his arrival, was the new Techo International Airport, where he met French companies involved in its construction and day-to-day operation — a symbol, in his view, of what France can bring in terms of sustainable infrastructure.

The Cambodia leg was part of a broader regional tour that began in Malaysia on July 8 and 9, underscoring Paris's renewed interest in Southeast Asia, a region the minister described as one of the rare pockets of growth in today's global economy.

Booming trade, though 2026 opened on a slower note

The figures cited during the visit vary slightly depending on which country's statistical sources are used, but they point to the same underlying trend: a trade relationship expanding steadily over time.

On the Cambodian side, according to the Kingdom's Department of Customs and Excise, bilateral trade reached $568 million in 2025, up 11.7 percent from 2024. Cambodian exports to France rose 12.5 percent to $447 million, driven mainly by garments, footwear and agricultural products.

On the French side, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise Duties (DGDDI) reports a notably higher figure — €1.75 billion in bilateral trade for 2025, up 17.5 percent, boosted in particular by aerospace and agri-food. Such statistical gaps are common between different countries' customs administrations and do not call into question the overall upward trajectory of the past year.

Early 2026, however, brought a nuance: bilateral trade fell 3.4 percent in the first quarter according to the DGDDI, to €357 million, with France's trade balance remaining in deficit by roughly €300 million over the period. The trend recovered over the first half of the year: according to Cambodian figures cited during the visit, trade reached $322 million over the first six months of 2026, up nearly 13 percent year-on-year, with Cambodian exports rising 13.5 percent and imports from France up 10.5 percent — reinforcing Forissier's call to "stay proactive" in the face of what he described as a temporary slowdown rather than a structural trend.

WorldBridge and SEMMARIS: a flagship deal for agri-food

The economic highlight of the visit was the signing of a services agreement between Cambodia's WorldBridge Group and France's SEMMARIS — the historic operator of the Rungis wholesale market — to carry out a feasibility study for a modern international agri-food wholesale market in Phnom Penh, a project that could reshape the country's food logistics.

Energy, health and infrastructure at the top of the agenda

High-level talks focused heavily on trade diversification, sustainable infrastructure development, the energy transition and strengthening Cambodia's healthcare system. On energy, Forissier discussed with Keo Rottanak an 800-megawatt hydropower project valued at $1.2 billion, as well as a waste-to-energy project in Phnom Penh. France, he said, intends to carry out detailed studies before making any investment decisions, and could contribute its technology and technical expertise — cooperation that could advance further during the presidential visit in November. French-backed renewable energy projects currently account for about 7 percent of Cambodia's renewable energy portfolio.

The two ministers also discussed cooperation in the oil and gas sector and reaffirmed their support for a peaceful resolution, grounded in international law, of the overlapping maritime claims between Cambodia and Thailand.

In the health sector, the Bakheng water treatment plant, backed by the French Development Agency (AFD), was cited as an example of what French expertise can bring to the Kingdom in terms of durable infrastructure and long-term investment.

"A trusted partner, not just a market"

At a press conference held on July 10 at the French Embassy in Phnom Penh, Nicolas Forissier summed up the spirit of his visit: France, he said, does not see Cambodia merely as an export market but as a trusted long-term partner whose economic success aligns with Paris's own interests. He stressed the need to keep investing in sectors aligned with the Kingdom's development trajectory and its ambition to become a developed economy.

On the Cambodian side, Meas Sok Sensan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said the visit had further strengthened bilateral economic cooperation, opened new opportunities between government agencies and the private sector, and helped expand the presence of French companies in the country. He added that the government continues to improve the business and investment climate by streamlining procedures and strengthening the transparency of the regulatory framework, with the aim of attracting investment in manufacturing, technology, agricultural processing and skills transfer.

November 2026: Macron confirmed for a symbolically charged visit

Perhaps the most anticipated announcement of the visit came when Nicolas Forissier officially confirmed that Emmanuel Macron will take part in the 20th Francophonie Summit, to be held in Siem Reap in November 2026. The presidential visit will come sixty years after General de Gaulle's historic trip to Phnom Penh, and thirty-three years after that of François Mitterrand in 1993 — a powerful symbolism for a bilateral relationship looking to open a new chapter.

The upcoming summit will bring together countries representing 16 percent of global GDP and 20 percent of world trade, and will serve, according to the Minister Delegate, to update the bilateral framework between France and Cambodia to reflect the Kingdom's current development priorities. Forissier's visit to Cambodia is itself part of a wider regional sequence, marked by France's strengthened strategic partnerships with Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand — confirming that Southeast Asia now sits at the heart of French economic diplomacy.

With four months to go before the summit, Nicolas Forissier's visit stands as a dual mission: methodically preparing the diplomatic ground for Emmanuel Macron, while sending a clear signal to the French and Cambodian business communities about the shared ambition of both countries.