Cambodia and France Sign MoU to Enhance Legal Cooperation

Cambodia and France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cooperation in the legal sector. This agreement establishes a strategic framework to deepen collaboration in legal reforms, administrative institution development, and human resource capacity building between the two nations. The signing ceremony took place in Paris on September 15th, with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Council of Legal Affairs, Vongsey Vissoth, and French Conseil d'État Vice-President, Marc Guillaume, inking the document. Mr. Guillaume stated that the MoU serves as a comprehensive and profound strategic framework for both countries and their institutions to build and develop cooperation in the legal field, administrative institution reform, and human resource and institutional capacity development with a long-term vision. Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth remarked that the MoU represents a significant step forward in legal and institutional cooperation between Cambodia and France, particularly in strengthening institutional relations between the Council of Ministers and the French Conseil d'État. He highlighted the shared commitment to enhancing regular dialogue, building human resource capacity, and sharing best practices, especially from the French Conseil d'État in administrative law, as Cambodia prepares to draft its administrative and commercial codes within the framework of its legal reform program. He further added that improving the capacity and quality of legal analysis, review, and consultation, as well as the drafting of legal norms, will contribute to ensuring legal and institutional order, upholding the rule of law, strengthening public institution confidence, and ensuring more effective, consistent, transparent, just, and predictable public power with accountability, thereby supporting business in accordance with the principles of the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitution. Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth expressed Cambodia's strong commitment to transforming the content of the MoU into tangible, vibrant actions that yield long-term benefits and serve as a model for trusted and mutually respectful legal cooperation. He specifically noted the sharing of extensive experience and deep knowledge from members of the French Conseil d'État to enhance the capacity and professional skills of young legal officers and members of the Secretariat of the Council of Legal Affairs, the Steering Committee for Legal Reform, and various ministries and institutions, thereby ensuring the success of the government's legal reforms aimed at building the integrity of the legal system and the sustainability of the rule of law culture in Cambodia. He concluded by stating that the MoU will pave the way for numerous joint achievements in the future and contribute to the vitality of the close relationship between Cambodia and France. In addition to the MoU signing, Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth held a working meeting with Mr. Marc Guillaume, visited the offices of the Conseil d'État to learn about its operational system and procedures for reviewing and advising on draft laws and normative documents, and its role as the supreme administrative jurisdiction. He also attended a working lunch with members and officials of the Conseil d'État, hosted by Mr. Guillaume.