Cambodia and AFD Affirm Strong Development Cooperation

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Aun Pornmonirath, held a meeting with the new Country Director for Cambodia of the French Development Agency (AFD), Laetitia Habchi, on September 17, 2026, at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The meeting also served to bid farewell to the former AFD Country Director for Cambodia, Sandrine Boucher, who has completed her mission. France is a significant development partner for Cambodia, with a long history of cooperation through development financing, concessional loans, grants, technical assistance, and expertise to support Cambodia's economic and social development. Deputy Prime Minister Aun Pornmonirath warmly welcomed Ms. Laetitia Habchi to her new mission in Cambodia and expressed his hope that under her leadership, the development cooperation between the Royal Government of Cambodia and AFD will continue to be strong, active, and even more effective. Cambodia is currently focusing on strengthening economic resilience, enhancing competitiveness, diversifying the economy, developing infrastructure, human resource development, public financial reform, and digital transformation to support the achievement of sustainable development goals. Ms. Laetitia Habchi expressed her sincere gratitude to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance for granting her and her colleagues an audience amidst his busy schedule. She affirmed AFD's continued support for development in Cambodia and its commitment to maintaining financial cooperation on priority development projects aligned with the Cambodian government's policies. Both sides also discussed and anticipated that the upcoming state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to the Kingdom of Cambodia will be a historic event that will further strengthen bilateral relations to a new high. They also pledged close cooperation to ensure the success of the upcoming Francophonie Summit. Deputy Prime Minister Aun Pornmonirath once again expressed his deep gratitude to Ms. Sandrine Boucher, the outgoing AFD Country Director, for her efforts and valuable contributions to strengthening Cambodia-France development cooperation. He also wished Ms. Laetitia Habchi, the new AFD Country Director, success in her mission in Cambodia and a pleasant stay while fulfilling her duties. Source: CEN Cambodia