Eighty Years of Brotherhood in Arms: The Complete Epic of Franco-Cambodian Military Cooperation (1946–2026)

Since January 1, 1946, military cooperation between France and Cambodia has woven an unbreakable bond — one born under the French Protectorate and resilient through the storms of history. In 2026, this partnership marks its 80th anniversary, a jubilee that celebrates not only a brotherhood in arms but also a shared commitment to world peace, elite training, and the promotion of the French language within the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF)

The Origins (1946–1953): Foundations under the Protectorate

It all began on January 1, 1946, in the aftermath of the Second World War and the return of French authority to Indochina. Nine Missions françaises d’instruction militaire (MFIM) were created to train the first Cambodian units, laying the groundwork for an embryonic national army. These missions, deployed in centers such as Kampong Cham and Battambang, offered training adapted to local conditions, blending colonial tactics with essential skills in artillery, infantry, and engineering.

At that time, the Kingdom of Cambodia, under French protection since 1863, was striving for greater autonomy. The young King Norodom Sihanouk, who had ascended the throne in 1941, viewed this cooperation as a lever to modernize his forces against Vietnamese and Laotian threats. The independence granted in November 1953 did not sever these ties; on the contrary, Sihanouk explicitly extended them through bilateral agreements, transforming the MFIM into a structured Royal Military Academy. French instructors, often from colonial troops, trained hundreds of Khmer officers, establishing a military doctrine influenced by the French school of thought. This early partnership forged a loyal military elite essential to Phnom Penh’s policy of neutrality amid Indochinese tensions.

The Golden Age and Tragic Ruptures (1954–1979)

The 1960s represented a golden era. In 1966, General Charles de Gaulle’s historic visit to Phnom Penh sealed strengthened cooperation agreements: France pledged to supply arms, ammunition, and advanced training while respecting Cambodia’s neutrality during the Vietnam War. A permanent French military office coordinated exchanges, with Khmer officers attending courses at Saumur, Saint-Cyr, and Draguignan. By 1969, the Khmer National Army (ANK), numbering 35,000 men, used this expertise to modernize its fleet — including AMX-13 tanks and Nord 2501 aircraft — to defend against border incursions.

However, the year 1970 brought a brutal end: the coup d’état by Lon Nol against Sihanouk, followed by the Vietnamese invasion and the rise of the Khmer Rouge in 1975, scattered the armed forces. The MFIM were dissolved, French instructors evacuated. Between 1975 and 1979, the Pol Pot regime dismantled all organized military structures and executed thousands of officers trained by France. The civil war and subsequent Vietnamese occupation (1979–1989) plunged the country into chaos, bringing three decades of partnership to an abrupt halt.

Post-Conflict Renaissance (1991–2000): From Peace to Peacekeepers

France re-emerged in 1991 as co-chair of the Paris Peace Accords, laying the foundations for national reconciliation. Under the UNTAC mission (1992–1993), Paris deployed 15,000 of the 150,000 UN peacekeepers — Europe’s largest contribution — to demobilize factions and oversee elections. This pivotal involvement revived military cooperation: beginning in 1993, French experts returned to Phnom Penh to help rebuild the nascent RCAF under the Royal Government. The French Embassy housed a Defense Cooperation Mission (MCD), focused on post-conflict restructuring.

The 1990s also saw the birth of Cambodian peacekeepers. With French support at the National Center for Peacekeeping Forces (NPMEC), Cambodian soldiers took part in their first UN missions in 1994, particularly in demining operations. This period strengthened mutual trust, highlighted by the 1996 visit of French Defense Minister Charles Millon, which revitalized officer exchanges.

Contemporary Era (2000–2026): Professionalization and Global Engagement

In the 21st century, the MCD became a permanent structure within the French Embassy, staffed by about fifteen French service members. Its work rests on four pillars:

• Command support at the Royal Military Academy (École des Officiers d’Active, EOA) in Thmat Paung, where 100 cadets per class (such as the 25th class in 2025) complete an 18-month program, followed by internships in France.

• French-language instruction (about 200 learners per year, from DELF A1 to DALF C1) through the French Institute and OIF.

• Initial training for cadets.

• Preparation of peacekeepers at the NPMEC, with two to three expert missions per year.

Today, Cambodia deploys around 800 peacekeepers annually to francophone Africa (Central African Republic and Mali through MINUSMA), as well as to Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Syria, earning recognition for their expertise in demining and logistics. The 80th anniversary in 2026, celebrated across the embassy’s networks, honors this enduring resilience: from colonial-era instruction to an equal partnership, this shared journey embodies peace, cooperation, and the fraternity of the Francophone military world.