PARIS: Prime Minister Hun Manet met with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in fields of common interest. President Macron announced that France will provide 200 million Euros ($217 million US) to support vocational training in energy and water treatment.

On January 18 the two leaders met in Paris, where President Macron said that Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to France provided an opportunity to create more new investment projects in Cambodia. He highlighted the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements that both countries signed, which served as the basis for much of the assistance France has provided to Cambodia.

"We will discuss PM Hun Manet's priorities to provide the means and bonds with the assistance of the French Agency for Development (AFD), which this week allocated a 200 million [Euro] package for energy vocational training and clean water treatment” he said.

Prime Minister Hun Manet said that Cambodia will always remember France's role as the Founder and Co-Chair of the French Conference on Cambodia, which led to the Paris Peace Agreements. He credited the agreements for contributing to the restoration and development of the Cambodian economy, which achieved low-middle-income status in 2015 and aims to become high-income by 2050.

The Prime Minister pledged to continue to strengthen and expand cooperation between the two countries. He said that their relationship is very important, especially when it comes to trade volume.

He said that in the business forum between France and Cambodia on January 15, he met with international leaders and companies with an interest in investing in Cambodia and others who pledged to expand their current investment.

He hoped that with the help and encouragement of both leaders, the private sector will continue to invest more in Cambodia. The PM also thanked the French President for supporting Cambodia's candidacy to host the Francophone Summit in 2026.