SIHANOUKVILLE: The French frigate, Prairial, will dock at the port of Sihanoukville from 24-28 March 2023.

The last time a French ship docked in Cambodia was in 2016, as plans to dock in 2020-2021 were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The arrival of the Prairial marks a sign of good relations between France and Cambodia.

The Papeete-based Prairial is part of the French Navy in French Polynesia. The ship is under the command of Admiral Geoffroy d’Ándigné and is utilized for patrol duties in the French Pacific territories.

The ship is 94 meters long, has about 100 crew members and carries a Dauphin helicopter. The Prairial is generally involved in combatting illegal fishing in international waters and the exclusive economic zones of French Pacific territories.

The ship regularly conducts missions in Asia, particularly with the naval forces of ASEAN member countries, the Republic of Korea and Japan, strengthening joint operations with the navies of partner countries. Recently, the frigate participated in an exercise with the Philippines Coast Guard.

The Prairial’s docking in Cambodia will offer an opportunity for the French and Cambodian navies to exchange experiences through tactical demonstrations and other activities such as football matches.

In accordance with international law, the docking of the Prairial ship is taking place within the framework of France's strategy in the Indo-Pacific region.

France has seven overseas territories in the Indo-Pacific region, where a population of 1.6 million French citizens reside, along with 7,000 soldiers.

Ninety-three percent of France's exclusive economic zones are in the Indo-Pacific region. France says its commitment to the region is reflected in four main domains: security and protection, economy, multilateralism and rule of law, and climate change and sustainable ocean management.

The docking of the Prairial reflects a strengthening of French-Cambodian relations, as also evidenced by the increased number of high-level exchanges to take place this year. It is also the result of the strengthening partnership between France and ASEAN. France is currently an observer country of two working groups of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM-Plus), including the Working Group on Maritime Security.