Francophonie 2026: Confluences Creates a Calendar So You Don't Miss a Thing in Phnom Penh

As the 20th Francophonie Summit approaches, Confluences has launched an online calendar listing the events organized in Phnom Penh before, during, and after the Summit. Estelle Maton, MarCom Director at Confluences, presents this initiative and the ambitions it carries for Cambodia.

Cambodge Mag: Why did Confluences decide to create this calendar?

We're seeing more and more events organized around the Summit. They're run by many different organizers, each with their own communication channels. As a result, it's very difficult to get an overall view of the program.

At Confluences, we're regularly approached by business delegations, companies, and employers' organizations from various Francophonie member states. The same questions keep coming up: what events are planned, on what dates, where will they take place, what are the access conditions, and how do you register?

The idea behind the calendar is simple: to allow everyone to prepare their stay and build their own program. There will inevitably be overlaps, and no one will be able to attend everything. The main goal is to help visitors make choices based on their interests and availability.

The calendar is designed for people coming from abroad as well as those already living in Cambodia. Several thousand participants are expected: official representatives, journalists, economic delegations, entrepreneurs, artists, and more. That's why it's available in both French and English.

How does the calendar work, and what kinds of events can be found on it?

We rely on both publicly available information and our direct exchanges with organizers. Our team tries to verify as much information as possible before publishing. The calendar will then be updated regularly, since many programs are still being finalized.

It isn't limited to business events. It covers the Summit's main official sequences, but also professional forums, institutional, scientific, and cultural gatherings, exhibitions, concerts, art openings, and evening events.

To make it easier to navigate, we've set up three categories: official events, which are part of the Summit's institutional program; associated events, organized directly within the framework of the Francophonie; and parallel events, organized independently but likely to interest visitors who are in the capital during the same period.

At this stage, the calendar covers events organized in Phnom Penh throughout November, with activities starting as early as November 5 — nearly ten days ahead of the official sequence on November 14, 15, and 16.

Confluences brings this information together to make it more accessible, but the organizers remain the reference sources for registration, schedules, venues, and any changes.

What role does Confluences play in preparing for this sequence?

Confluences is particularly involved in preparing the economic sequence. Our founder and CEO, Soreasmey KE BIN, serves as an ambassador for the Alliance of Francophone Employers' Federations for Southeast Asia. In that capacity, he contributes, alongside the Alliance and the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, to coordinating the Meeting of Francophone Entrepreneurs.

We're also finalizing our involvement in FrancoTech, and thanks to our current and past engagement with the French Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (CCI France Cambodge) and the French Tech network, we're naturally mobilized around the other major economic events.

That said, the calendar remains a Confluences initiative in its own right. It is in no way the official calendar of the Summit. This effort simply reflects what we do every day: connecting businesses, institutions, and international players present in Cambodia.

What can this concentration of international events bring to Cambodia?

Cambodia has achieved remarkable economic success over the past few decades. Yet from abroad, it is still often perceived as a small market, especially when compared to the region's larger economies.

There's also a gap between the reality of a young, dynamic economy and the perception many people abroad still hold of the country. Cambodia is still too often associated with the Khmer Rouge, or, in a more positive light, solely with the temples of Angkor. That doesn't sufficiently reflect the country's dynamism, its entrepreneurs, or the opportunities developing there.

At a time when the Kingdom's international image has recently been weakened by border tensions and issues linked to online scams, the Summit represents an important opportunity to show a different side of Cambodia.

It will bring in public figures, companies, and delegations who might never have visited without the Summit and the forums organized around it.

The challenge, then, is to make sure visitors don't simply move from one conference to another. We also want them to discover Phnom Penh, meet its people, and enjoy the full richness of the program.

We want them to leave with the image of a dynamic, welcoming Cambodia, full of initiatives — and above all, with the desire to come back, develop projects here, and talk about it to others.

What are the main events to look out for?

The program is so rich that it's difficult to single out just a few highlights.

On the economic front, the Meeting of Francophone Entrepreneurs will bring together executives, employers' organizations, investors, and decision-makers from many countries. FrancoTech will be another major event centered on technology and innovation, while the France-Cambodia Business Forum will help deepen economic opportunities between the two countries.

The Black Swan Summit will also bring a strong international dimension around finance, emerging technologies, and relations between ASEAN and the Francophone world. The French Tech Asia Forum will bring together French Tech communities from Asia and various Francophone countries. Also worth mentioning are the Paris Bar's International Meetings in Phnom Penh, which will gather French, Cambodian, and international lawyers.

But the program goes well beyond economics. The Francophone Asia-Pacific Science Series, the Forum of Influential Women, the Meetings of Francophone Booksellers of Asia, and the Study and Work in Europe Fair all reflect the diversity of audiences and topics covered. The Francophonie Village will also serve as a central, public-facing venue to explore the cultures and diversity of Francophone countries.

Finally, we shouldn't forget the cultural and festive program: concerts, exhibitions, art openings, and evening events. I'd especially like to highlight Nuit Sauvage at the Rosewood, on Saturday, November 14, which should be one of the week's major festive highlights, held on one of Phnom Penh's most beautiful rooftops.

What message would you like to send to organizers and future visitors?

I invite all organizers to contact Confluences directly to let us know about their events, help complete the published information, or send us any updates.

And I encourage everyone interested in the Summit to check the calendar regularly and plan their registrations ahead of time. November will arrive quickly, and the program will be especially packed.

We look forward to seeing everyone in Phnom Penh to fully experience this major moment for Cambodia.

Check the calendar: www.confluences.asia/sommet-francophonie-2026

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Confluences compiled this calendar from public sources and information provided by organizers in order to present these events. For any additional information, please contact the relevant organizers directly.